


certainty

by obscure_black_clouds



Series: protection [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Mild Language, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 12:23:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9440318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obscure_black_clouds/pseuds/obscure_black_clouds
Summary: Pain is not the easy thing to deal with. Abuse is not the easy thing to overcome. Kindness is, of course, a cure, but when you turn up in the world knowing nothing about it, don’t knowing how to make your own choices and how to live without pain, you need something more, than kindness. Credence, for a start, needed confidence, certainty and… control. Not in abusive way, of course. Well, being an Obscurial, thus, too dangerous in the wrong hands, has its advantages, for example, having a Patron. His Patron, however, isn’t very happy with her fate, but she can’t just leave him there, bleeding out and freezing in the street.





	1. Chapter 1

Silence, sometimes is as loud as a scream itself.

City never sleeps. New York is always so noisy, people rushing back and forth within it, never slowing down. But now it seems so quiet, so slow and, somehow, thick like oil, which make it hard to breathe in. At least for one human being.

Everybody live their own lives, doing the same things every single day, never stepping back from routine. Morning street is still almost empty except for a few passers-by, who are too concerned about not being late for work, so they don’t really have time for paying attention to subtle yet recognizable sounds.

**Cry.**

It was almost quiet enough to dissolve in the noise of the never silent city. And yet loud enough for someone to hear.

A young woman was just walking by the dark side street when she heard that almost nonexistent sound. She stopped, breaking the usual flow of the things, as if to check whether that subtle cry was real. She was standing there, biting her lip and deciding what to do. After another second, she frowned, exhaled deeply and stepped inside of the morning darkness of the street. No sooner had she made a step forward as everything became silent, as if someone tried to contain sobs in response to a relatively loud sound of her heels hitting the ground. But, to be honest, whoever that was, their attempt wasn’t quite successful, because she still could hear slight whimpering.

_“Hello?”_ her voice was soft and calm, though filled with some strange power.

The sobs became silent one more time, and she decided to make another step. Anyway it was too late to retreat. After one more step, she finally saw the source of the cries. Probably, if she hadn’t been looking she would’ve missed him. A boy, or, rather, young man, was obviously trying to merge with a dirty brick wall behind him, and it may have been possible if he wasn’t so pale. Gosh, can any living human being be so pale? They were looking at each other for a minute or so, forgetting about outer world. She never thought she would see so much fear and pain in someone’s eyes. She continued to examine him with slight curiosity, noticing that he definitely wasn’t homeless – his jacket, though, worn-down, wasn’t that bad. Also, she knew how homeless people looked like, and this boy, man, was not one of them. He needed help, that’s for sure, but not that kind of help.

He, at the same time, was examining her too. He was scared to death, and it was fear that was seen inside his eyes, not curiosity. Every one he saw now seemed to have a face of his mother, and he wasn’t really able to differentiate her features. But the more he looked, the more he seen. She was nothing like his mother. Well, nobody was. Something in her was different. Her gaze was calm, without any hint of fear, sharp and in some way – kind. Here curiosity was obvious and yet she didn’t say a thing. At least for now. Slowly his breathing stabilized and he realized that, actually she is not a complete stranger. He saw her couple of times when giving out flyers. She was working at the old, weird bookstore, which his mother always called wicked. He wasn’t quite sure why, but that place wasn’t one of those you can call light or welcoming. It was an old dark building, which seemed more ancient that New York itself, filled with thousands of books and mysteries. She was, to be honest, even bigger mystery.

_“You need help”._

She wasn’t asking, just stating the obvious. He looked at her in shock, and then slowly nodded. If she wasn’t watching she would have missed it. She adjusted her coat and again looked at him, again with the same expression of calm discreet kindness.

_“You can come with me. I can help you”,_ again, no questions, just statements.

She took a step back, watching him fighting with himself. She wasn’t rushing forward, trying to comfort him of initiate the touch, she was just standing there, waiting for him make a decision. He slowly stood up, holding onto rubbish container, hissing from the sharp pain, and then deeply exhaled, carefully taking small step forward. She silently nodded and turned her face to the street.

_“Come”._

One word. Calm, short and surprisingly certain. Maybe, just maybe, that was what he needed now. Certainty.

She was walking slow, allowing him to follow. It was almost as if she knew how much time he would need and how fast would he move. Woman was just walking calmly, looking back from time to time, to be sure he is following. Fortunately, the place they headed to was just a few houses further. A small key glinted in her hand when she was close enough to the door, catching boy’s eye. The lock clicked and she opened a heavy dark door allowing a poor December morning light to come inside and slid onto old bookshelves. She looked back at the boy with a slight encouragement in her eyes. Again, no words, she just let him make a decision himself. And he did. With the obvious hesitation, of course, but he did eventually stepped inside letting the shadows consume him for a second. However, it wasn’t a long time. With a light click, the room had been filled with warm comforting light, which was making the bookstore look cozy and welcoming. To be honest, he didn’t expect this. From his mother’s point of view, this place was wicked, evil, almost like a Hell on Earth. And yet, he wasn’t scared. Well, he was. Dear Lord, of course he was, he was terrified, but not by this place. 

_“You can sit on the couch. I will get an aid kit to take care of your hands”,_ she softly said and disappeared behind one of enormous bookshelves.

The boy hesitantly sat on the very edge of a dark green sofa, trying not to make a lot of movement. His back was straight, like there was a steel rod instead of his spine, that wasn’t going to let him relax. However, his shoulders were moved forward as if he wanted to appear smaller. He wasn’t really sure why he was here. He didn’t know why he decided to follow someone he only seen on the street, never even talking to. Well, maybe, just maybe, his common sense was stronger than fear or pain for once. Maybe it told him, that whatever this woman would be able to do, wouldn’t be worse than freezing to death in the streets. That was, at least, logical.

At the same time, young woman in the room next door was sure, why she helped him. She saw it coming, all of this. His pain, misery and fear, his need of protection and help. She saw it coming since she turned fifteen or sixteen. Knowing you were different, you were meant to protect someone you didn’t even knew or seen was challenging to say at least. But, that was here fate from the very beginning, the fate of Patron. Well, at least she got a living human being, not some magical artifact. It’s better this way. Nevertheless, she didn’t like it. She didn’t want anyone to say her what to do or where to go. If she only had that desired freedom, she would just disappear in the winter haze, going as far as possible from that boy who was sitting on her couch shivering from cold. And yet, she couldn’t. It was not his fault becoming her ward after all. She might have not like him or her destiny, but leaving someone who needed help wasn’t one of her rules. And, after all, she just couldn’t abandon him. That’s it. At least he had a choice.

She noticed as he jerked, hearing her steps behind his back. Overwhelming, almost animal fear was so noticeable in his dark brown eyes that she just froze for a second. She took a moment to pull herself together and then sat down on a couch beside him. She placed a bowl with water and aid kit on the table, and starred at his hand as if deciding what to do first.

_“I need you to take off your jacket so I could reach you wrists. Moreover, it’s dirty, I will clean it later.”_

She waited calmly for him to remove his jacket. She didn’t like him, but hearing him hissing and seeing him flinch when the fabric touched his injured skin, wasn’t easy at all. A small beam of sincere sympathy appeared in her eyes, pushing back all that mostly forced kindness. Boy took his jacket off and waited for next instruction. She stretched her hand making him made his own decision again. It was strange. She was giving him a choice in every small thing and yet this woman was somehow in control. But not in an abusive kind of control, more like a protective kind, she was silently and softly showing that she was the authority. He wasn’t against it, after all, it was her bookstore. The boy hesitantly put his hands into hers and flinched slightly because of the pain. Her fingers were cold and soft somehow reminding him of marble. She was very confident with what she was doing while rolling up his sleeves and placing his hand into warm water, so the dried blood could be removed afterwards.

_“You didn’t ask.”_

I was the first time he spoke, his voice coarse and sore from crying and not talking for a long time. Her eyes flicked to his face once she heard him. A slight smile with a subtle touch of pride appeared on her lips before she answered.

_“I didn’t.”_

_“Why?”_

_“Because I don’t need to. There is no need in questions, when someone needs help.”_

He fell silent for some time, while she was cleaning his wounds. She was confident but very careful, trying not to cause more pain. She reached for a small can and opened it reveling lilac salve, which smelled like lavender and mint at the same time.

_“I’m C-Credence”,_ the boy said watching her as she dunked her fingers into the salve. She paused for a second focusing on his eyes, which were still frightened but now a tiny bit braver. And again, a soft barely noticeable smile curved her lips.

_“It’s a nice name. With a good meaning”,_ she whispered, coming back to spreading the salve across his palm. It gave a pleasant soothing sensation though stung a little at first. _“My name is (Y/N).”_

_“It’s a very beautiful name too”,_ said Credence somehow deciding to say a nice thing in response too. He noticed that she smiled a little focusing on bandaging his hands.

_“Thank you”,_ she answered. _“Here you go. Don’t pull the bandage too much. Those wound’s need time to heal.”_

Credence nodded and watched as (Y/N) was putting everything back to the bag, gathering cloth, which was now covered in brown stains because of the blood. The water in a bowl was slightly reddish too. Woman took everything away and headed to the room upstairs, but before she could leave, (Y/N) heard silent voice from behind.

_“Thank you.”_


	2. Chapter 2

Leaving London wasn’t easy at all. Well, nothing was easy. Her family was an old one, with all this “pure blood” complex, so (Y/N) was raised as all of those rich children knowing that she was an heir of Some-Mad-Guy-With-God-Complex. Or whatever. Everything was actually going according to her parents plans. Entering Hogwarts, being sorted to Slytherin. However, one day everything changed. Her wand just stopped working. It just became a useless piece of wood. Her magic was rushing through her veins, trying to find a way out, but instead beating on the walls of her skull, driving her mad. (Y/N) started seeing strange blurry dreams, with pain and loud sounds of the belt piercing through the air. I would wake her up with tears in the eyes and a feeling of sharp pain in her palms. Though it was just a dream, she couldn’t stop crying after that not knowing what to do. She was slowly dying, feeling something dark raising in her chest. It was like a smoke, which was slowly curling at the bottom of her lungs, not allowing breathing normally. But one day (Y/N) woke up with a strange confidence in what she should do next.

And she escaped. She took some of her own money, took a ship to New York and disappeared without a word. In the beginning, it seemed so easy, she even laughed when she saw the shore slowly melting away over the horizon. But everything changed. The feeling of being completely alone it the middle of unknown city was hunting her. Having her own bookstore helped a little, at least she had a place to call home now.

(Y/N) was desperately trying to understand what was going on with her, looking for any existing book or living person who could tell her what, or rather who, she was.

_“You are a Patron, dear miss. A protector, a defender, call it as you wish. You were born to protect something, or rather someone, from being in wrong hands. You are a strange bird, miss”._

Strange bird. She hated that name. She wasn’t a bird that can easily be put into the cage, she wasn’t going to obey and sing to everyone. She wasn’t going to be a pretty decoration. She wasn’t a “bird”. And, even if she was, (Y/N) most definitely was a harpy. Her eyes may be beautiful and even kind sometimes, but there was danger at the bottom, sleeping and waiting to attack, just like a wild beast.

However now the beast was resting, purring in its sleep, signaling that for now there wasn’t any threat. (Y/N) came back to the room, noticing that it wasn’t only the beast in her eyes who had fallen asleep. Credence leaned onto the back of the sofa, breathing calmly and slowly. His sleeves were still rolled up, revealing even more scars that were traveling up to his arms. Somehow, (Y/N) wasn’t sure if she wanted to know, how many other scars were there. She still remembered that illusory pain that used to wake her up in the middle of the night. Woman deeply exhaled, and took a blanket from the armchair inside. Probably, it was warm enough here for Credence’s body to relax and give him this small moment of oblivion. (Y/N) was sure though that his mind was still in pain, and his sleepy frame wasn’t an act of trust or feeling safe, it was the result of exhaustion. She carefully covered him with warm blanket trying not to wake him up. He deserved some rest.

(Y/N) came to the door, changing the plate on it to “closed”. It seemed like she wasn’t going to have any clients today, obviously. Well maybe it’s time to take care of the accountings.

Quiet sound of a pen scratching against a piece of paper was suddenly interrupted by a loud gasp. (Y/N) lifted her head looking at Credence over her glasses with a slight concern in her eyes. He was breathing heavily, looking around and trying to understand what happened. Credence stared at his bandaged hands, then at the blanket he was still covered with, and then, at last, his eyes found (Y/N). She could see waves of panic in his eyes, which seemed so wide that they almost appeared black.

Maybe someone would compare them to a chocolate, but (Y/N) didn’t think so. His eyes were anything but chocolate. They weren’t sweet or warm, or comforting. Well, at least, not now. His eyes were like storm, fear appearing like a squall causing a hurricane of pain and a blizzard of suffering. They were almost black, but she could feel something inside of those eyes, something that was like a lightning piercing through the thunderstorm. His eyes were like rain that never stops. She could see that. This hard, perpetual, sweating and steaming rain that wasn’t going anywhere even in the happiest moments (if they existed at all) just turning into a mizzle. (Y/N) waited for him to calm down and say something first.

_“I-I…”_ he was gasping for air, _“I’m s-sorry”._

_“There’s nothing to be sorry about”,_ she said putting her glasses onto the table and standing up from her seat. _“You needed some rest. And now, I think we both need to eat something. Come.”_

(Y/N) wasn’t going to wait for him so she just walked away, again disappearing behind one of the shelves. Credence followed her after few moments, and discovered that there was a stairs, which led to the second floor. Surprisingly, there was an apartment, not very big, but quite cozy and homey. Boy carefully stepped inside, noticing (Y/N)’s back in the corner of his eye. She was busy in the kitchen, humming something barely audible. She saw him standing in the doors of the kitchen, when turning to place a plate with couple of sandwiches onto the table.

_“You can seat here, Credence”,_ she said softly obviously trying to be friendlier then before. _“I hope you like tea, because I run out of coffee today”._

She was pouring hot tea into relatively huge mugs, adding some milk and cinnamon, just because it reminded her of home.

_“Here you go”,_ she placed a cup in front of Credence and sat across the table. _“Careful though, it’s hot.”_

He hesitantly took a sip from his cup, his eyes widening to unfamiliar taste. (Y/N) smirked a little to his reaction and took herself a sandwich, then pushing a plate closer to Credence.

_“Why-.. Why are you so kind to me?”_ it must have took all his courage to ask.

(Y/N) tilted her head to the side, wondering, how bad his mother was, if this poor boy called her “kind”. Not that she wasn’t kind, but now she was mostly forcing herself to help him. For her he was a curse, a burden she could not leave. But, he thought she was kind. Even though she wasn’t happy at all, his words broke her heart. Poor thing. For a second she felt a pinch of guilt, he didn’t even know how she felt, and was grateful even for this tiny piece of kindness.

_“Sometimes we just do what we have to do,”_ she simply stated and leaned onto the back of the chair.

He shot a glance to her face, just for a mere second, before turning it away to his cup again. (Y/n) wanted to say something but was interrupted by the sound of opening door.

_“I thought the plate with “Closed” on it was straightforward enough”,_ she growled, standing up and going downstairs leaving Credence alone.

(Y/n) came down quite quickly, adjusting her dark dress on the go. Her lips were pressed together and the beast in her eyes lifted its head with curiosity. She walked inside the room looking quite irritated to say at least.

_“I am sorry, but the store is closed”,_ she said but stopped when she saw who was standing in the middle of the room. (Y/n) frowned and clenched her teeth looking at the visitor with a silent anger in her eyes. _“Miss Barebone”._

Mary Lou Barebone were standing in front of (Y/N) burning with the same silent anger, staring at her heavily. She was examining everything around with a look of pure disgust on her face, and, obviously, she wasn’t here for a cup of tea.

_“How can I help you, Miss Barebone?”_ (Y/N) asked with the same look on her own face, except disgust was for Mary Lou.

_“How about giving my son back?”_ she growled, taking a step forward.

_“He is **not **you son”,****_ (Y/N) stated still looking her in the eyes and crossing her arms in front of the chest.

_“Do not mock with me. I know he is here. People saw you taking him inside”._

_“People?”_

_“Yes, people, you magic scum.”_ Mary Lou snapped making (Y/N) to raise her eyebrows. Now it’s getting interesting. _“Where is he?”_

_“Why on Earth you think I would tell you?”_ (Y/n) asked calmly watching her every move so closely, that she didn’t noticed Credence who quietly was standing behind the shelf.

_“I am his mother!”_ Mary Lou was close to scream and (Y/N) felt it. Her eyes darkened as she answered, separating each word.

_“You. Are. Not. His. Mother.”_ With each word, she was making a step towards the woman who dared to call herself _“a mother”._

_“It is not your business”,_ said Mary Lou, though taking couple steps back. _“He belongs with me”._

(Y/N) almost laughed at her face, but restrained herself. She breathed deeply to remain calm and not to punch this woman, or curse her. (Y/n) looked back and saw a trembling figure of Credence who was looking at both woman with panic in his eyes. Mary Lou noticed him too. Actually, noticing him was exactly the reason why she shut up.

_“Well, maybe we should ask Credence himself, huh?”_

Somehow, (Y/N) knew the answer even before he glanced at her.

_“Credence”,_ there was so much hatred in Mary Lou’s word that (Y/N) involuntarily shuddered, suddenly understanding that even “magic scum” wasn’t said like that. _“We are going home”._

_“Ma-”_

_“Credence”,_ even more hatred.

And he obeyed. He took his dirty jacket that was still laying on the couch, put it on and stood beside his “mother”. He glanced to (Y/N) with a panic in his stormy eyes, seeing her emotions. Until this moment, she was calm and confident, but now her face twisted with ultimate helpless expression. Pain, desperation, and God knows what else were so visible in her eyes that they became almost as dark as his own was. He could have sworn he saw a bit of disappointment in her face too. Mary Lou, on the other hand was victorious, smiling hideously.

_“Goodbye, Miss (L/N)”_ she sweetly said turning to the door, before hearing a sharp, calm response.

_“Be careful, Miss Barebone. Sometimes “magic scum” has a tendency to fight back”,_ there was a deathly calmness in (Y/N)’s voice that was literally saying _“beware”._

_“Come on, Credence”,_ Mary Lou said, hiding a slight trembling in her voice, and left the store.

_“Credence”,_ (Y/N) said before he could leave, this time much more soft. _“Be careful”._


	3. Chapter 3

(Y/N) never thought she would lose sleep because of someone. To be honest, it was the second time, when sleeping became painful. She was just lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and feeling the guilt crawling into her heart. She was stupid. How could she let that woman took him away, she is a Patron after all! Obviously, the worst Patron ever. She was laying with her hands clenching the sheets and her eyes shut.

_“It was his choice, you decided to give him a choice, it is not your fault”._

She was trying to convince herself that she wasn’t there to control his every step. (Y/N) decided to teach him to live on his own, to make his own decisions, to accept himself and not trying to please someone. He had all the rights to be himself, to live his own life, and do what he wanted. That boy had all the rights. (Y/N) sat in her bed, hiding her face in her hands.

_“You are not his jailor. He already has one”._

(Y/N) knew what he would choose the moment she saw his face. Credence didn’t trust her enough, to believe that she had the power to protect him. A duty to protect him. For heaven’s sake, she almost hated him before all of this, blaming him for destroying her life, for making her cross the damn ocean and leave everything behind, and now she can’t sleep because of pain and guilt and… Fear? Oh Merlin, she was afraid. (Y/N) was scared of what Mary Lou could have done to him and what follows that. If Credence dies, she will die too. If not because of magic, the because of guilt. She looked into the window observing the skies turning lighter and lighter blue with a touch of gold. She breathed deeply, hoping that her stubbornness didn’t cost Credence too much. (Y/N) needed to talk to someone, and she certainly knew who it should be.

(Y/N) was sitting in a small café feeling even worse than before, staring into a cup of hot coffee. She wasn’t looking at her friend who was sitting across the small table.

_“Darling, it’s not your fault”._

_“We both know it is, Queenie. I’m his Patron and I failed”,_ bluntly said (Y/N), taking a sip. She raised her head and weakly smiled. _“But thank you for trying to convince me otherwise.”_

Queenie Goldstein was, probably, the only person in America, who knew that (Y/N) was a witch. And even though she was working for MACUSA she still came to help (Y/N). It was literally a crime, considering the absence of registration and other stuff. But it was much easier to fool all of the MACUSA than try to explain why the hell (Y/N) wasn’t using wand. Queenie was, somehow, a total opposite of (Y/N). She was sitting there with a morning light lost in her golden hair and memories of spring in her green eyes. Even her coat of nice pink color suited her so well, that it was no surprise that all of the men entering the café had glanced at her at least once. (Y/N), in contrast, always considered herself a winter. She liked the fact she was Slytherin, not really paying attention to those who were saying some things about dark arts and stuff, but she was never considered as openhearted as Hufflepuffs. No, of course, she was ready to help, but it was hard to gain her trust and become real friends. Also, after becoming a Patron it was even harder to appear nice and friendly, because of nightmares and constant pain. But you know, being winter isn’t bad though. It may appear cold and harsh, but it’s the time for nature to rest and recover, it’s the time of holidays and warm words it the middle of the blizzard. Same as winter, (Y/N) was there to give some rest and support, to comfort and hide from everyone. After all, if there was no winter, there was no Christmas, right?

 _“I’m sure he’ll be fine”,_ Queenie spoke after a while.

_“You didn’t see her. There was so much hatred in her, as if she would kill him”._

_“She wouldn’t!”_

_“I don’t know what is she capable of. But he is alive, that’s for sure”._

_“How do you know?”_ Quennie asked, before realizing that this question made everything worse.

 _“If he wasn’t, I would be dead too.”_ (Y/N) simply stated, squinting as she looked at the sun. _“I just hope she doesn’t know that he has a gift, and she hates him just because she is a complete b-”._

 _“(Y/N)!”_ Queenie gasped, though her eyes were smiling.

 _“What? We both know that’s true.”_ (Y/N) smirked. _“I don’t know, sometimes it feels easier to just go inside and obliviate her, to take him away”._

_“But you want him to make that choice, right?”_

_“Yes”,_ (Y/N) sighed, doubting her methods. _“I guess that’s the way to go. Not that there is some “How to be a good Patron? Vol. 1” book by Guy-with-Unpronounced-Name-Jr.”_ she finally smiled, feeling a bit more relaxed. Frankly, she always felt that way with Queenie around.

 _“I think you don’t need that book”,_ Goldstein smiled and then asked again _“But why him? There aren’t many Patrons, are there?”_

 _“No. Only boys who were exceptionally nice, get a Patron for Christmas”,_ she joked, feeling bad for lies. (Y/N) never told anyone anything about Credence being an Obscurial. Of course, Queenie could read her mind, but that was the only one thought she carefully hid in the depth of her consciousness. After all, it wasn’t her secret to tell. Queenie laughed lightly but suddenly became very serious.

_“(Y/N), you are not going to NSPS place don’t you?”_

_“If I feel I have to…”_

_“(Y/N), aurors will catch you!”_

_“I’m not using a wand, so MACUSA shouldn’t care”._

_“Tell that to MACUSA”._

_“Okay, okay, I won’t go there, waving my hands and scaring the living hell out of muggles”_ (Y/N) noticed a momentary confusion on Queenies face and added, _“No-maj or whatever you call them”._ She growled still not used to that word.

 _“Pinky-promise?”_ Queenie widely smiled.

 _“Pinky-promise”,_ (Y/N) laughed in response.

 _“Oh, dear, I have to go”,_ Queenie suddenly jerked, noticing the clock on the wall of the café.

“Have a nice day. Thank you for coming”.

 _“Anytime, darling, anytime. Take care”,_ blonde woman hugged (Y/N) tightly and quickly walked away.

(Y/N) sat there for a second more, finishing her coffee. Maybe she was going to do the most stupid thing in her life, but she needed to make that still small voice to shut up.

***

Credence was shivering from cold, and watching his mother with the corner of his eye. She made him hand out those leaflets again, though his palms was still covered with wounds. However, she let him leave the bandages on. Credence wondered if his Ma was scared of (Y/N) and her last words. Mary Lou was cruel and harsh but she didn’t belt him again that night. Nevertheless, it was just a matter of time.

Miss Barebone was raving about witches, Satan and Hell even more passionate today, ineffectually trying to catch the attention of the crowd. Oh, if she only saw (Y/N) standing across the street watching her closely with her lips pressed together. Her eyes moved to Credence and she frowned noticing that he wasn’t wearing any coat, just a worn-out jacket. She was quietly observing the crowd, waiting for Mary Lou to send her children away to the streets.

(Y/N) was ready to go straight to them, not caring about crazy woman, but Mary Lou finally ended her rally and walked away, leaving her children on the street. (Y/N) smirked seeing her sending Credence in the opposite direction for her store. How smart. Woman carefully followed him, trying not to be noticed. She didn’t noticed, though, she was not the only one watching the boy.

Credence was standing on the corner of the street trying to avoid cruel looks or words. He stretched his hand out holding a leaflet, without any hope at all. Suddenly, somebody took it. Credence didn’t even lift his head.

 _“Thank you”,_ he murmured almost inaudibly.

 _“She let you keep the bandages. Good”,_ said (Y/N) with slight satisfaction. She met his sudden gaze with a soft smile.

 _“(Y/N)?”_ the boy stammered not believing she was standing there. He could accept that she helped him that time, finding him on the street, but meeting her again was shocking.

 _“I decided to check you out”,_ this time her voice was soft, almost gentle, though confident enough.

_“Y-You shouldn’t be here. You will get in trouble”._

_“She will not do anything to me”,_ (Y/N) felt a slight ache in her heart. Credence was afraid of his mother, but still he said, “you will get in trouble”. Unbelievable. Just unbelievable, how this boy managed to maintain kindness in his heart. (Y/N) almost hated herself for calling him “a curse”.

 _“S-she said, you were a wicked woman, a witch, who wanted to take me to Hell”,_ he suddenly blurted looking away. (Y/N) smirked a little, some mischievous spark appearing in her eyes.

 _“Credence”,_ she softly said, framing the sentence the right way, remembering that she wasn’t going to ask any questions. (Y/N) wanted him to allow her asking questions, for some reason. _“It is up to you, to decide if she is right. You can see me as a wicked woman or a witch, or anything else, if you like.”_

He looked at her with wide eyes, still with a drop of fear. This was, possibly the first time Credence looked at someone for more than two seconds. He was completely blown away. Actually, he thought she was just very nice and careful that day, but now, again, she was giving him a choice. Moreover, a huge choice like that. She was allowing him to think what he wanted and making his own decision.

 _“I-I don’t think you are wicked”,_ the words were off his tongue, before he could even realize that. Credence notices something warm in her eyes before looking away.

 _“Nice to hear that”,_ (Y/N) almost laughed, remembering suddenly, how nice it was, not being wicked. She wasn’t a stereotypical Slytherin, but she was called “evil” couple of times. Hearing that somebody thought she was good, felt nice. _“You are freezing. And you need those bandages changed. Come, I have some coffee and pastries”._

_“I can’t. She will know. And the leaflets-”_

_“She won’t. Credence”,_ (Y/N) softly said, almost feeling manipulative and hating herself for that. The goal was giving him a choice, _“your name means “faith”. Have some faith in me. She won’t know. You don’t have to die from cold, just because some woman can’t be a proper mother. Come. Please”,_ she was almost praying with those last words.

 _“I-I…”_ he was breathing heavily, rushing between fear and longing for warmth. (Y/N) waited for a moment, deciding that pushing him would be too much.

 _“Credence”,_ she said softly, making him wonder, if somebody else ever pronounced his name that way, _“We will get rid of those papers, I promise. But you need to get warm”._

Credence hesitantly nodded and followed (Y/N) who was slightly smiling with satisfaction. Well, maybe she wasn’t that bad in all that Patron thing, after all.


	4. Chapter 4

Slowly fear and nervousness were fading away from (Y/N)’s heart, thanks to Credence’s steps right behind her shoulder. Her gate was springy and her features more relaxed than ever before. They took their way through side valleys, making sure Mary Lou never knowing about their little secret. I would be almost exciting if not the circumstances. The bookstore welcomed them with it’s regular silence. (Y/N) marched to the hidden stairs gesturing Credence to follow.

This time he had a better opportunity to study the room. It was, actually a small flat, where, obviously (Y/N) was living. Though to the lack of space it was nice, decorated in calm colors, with everything one person needed for living. Credence took a timid step forwards, noticing a book on a coffee table. He almost took it, barely touching the cover, when (Y/N) entered the room. He jerked back, pressing his hand to his chest and lowering his head. She noticed his gesture and pressed her lips together sighing.

 _“I need you to take off your jacket, Credence”,_ she said, placing the aid kit onto the table. Boy’s cheeks flushed red, but he obeyed anyway, sitting next to her. (Y/N) unbuttoned the sleeve of his shirt and rolled it up in silence.

 _“You are not a witch”,_ he suddenly said. _“Ma was wrong.”_

(Y/N) lifted her head and looked at him with curiosity.

 _“If you were a witch you wouldn’t use bandages”,_ Credence explained looking anywhere but her face.

 _“Or I’m just a terrible healer”,_ she joked, not lying actually. She was quite good in protecting, searching and attacking charms, while healing was her weak spot to say at least. (Y/N) was smiling slightly what must have given Credence enough confidence to continue speaking.

 _“Why don’t you ask?”_ whispered Credence watching her unwrapping the bandages and examining his scars. _“You don’t ask questions at all”._

 _“I will ask questions when you will be ready to answer them”,_ she answered, running her fingers over couple of older scars. Credence blinked.

 _“I-I don’t think I understand”,_ she felt his hand stiffening in her hold. (Y/N) sighed, trying to collect her thoughts in a heap.

 _“Credence”,_ her voice was soft again. _“For now I know everything I need to. If you want me to ask questions, you can tell me that. If you want to talk, you can start without me asking.”_ She moved to the other hand making the same movements. _“Sometimes answers beget even more questions. However, answers appear only after questions. Then, maybe, it is better not to ask at all”._

Credence was silently listening to her every word, not daring to speak. Maybe, that’s why he was feeling relatively safe here? He was broken and sometimes he thought it wasn’t possible to fix him. Credence was pushing his pain and rage underneath his skin, knowing that fear wasn’t dangerous if you embrace it. (Y/N) wasn’t asking, thus wasn’t pulling his pain outside the box he put it into. Maybe, someday he will be ready to do it by himself. Credence felt her fingertips on his wrist, almost resembling butterfly wings.

 _“It almost healed. I think you don’t need bandages anymore”,_ she spoke, taking her hands away. _“I hope you like cherry pastries. They go exceptionally well with hot coffee”._

(Y/N) stood up, and Credence felt slight disappointment in the back of his mind. No, stupid, she is being kind just because she is good. Nobody really cares for you, fool. He heard (Y/N)’s voice coming from kitchen.

_“Credence, come. Coffee is ready”._

He stood up, and went there, though silent voice in his mind was still whispering.

_She will leave as everybody else does. Don’t be so naive. You cannot afford yourself a dream._

***

I was couple of weeks after that accident. Credence wasn’t coming over to (Y/N), but was seeing her on streets from time to time. Not that he didn’t need help, God knew, he did. And she knew that too. It was hard not to notice magical attacks on the street, especially if you knew what was responsible for that. Nevertheless, she wasn’t forcing him for visits, just meeting with him in the streets, giving him some warm drinks or food, so he didn’t die from cold. (Y/N) was just pressing her lips together, with her eyes darkening, every time she saw new scars on his hands.

Actually, Credence really didn’t know about all the times (Y/N) was there. In one moment she just realized, that her feigned kindness was even crueler than those red, angry scars on his hands. She almost hated herself for that. Credence didn’t deserve it. Sometimes (Y/N) wondered if it was her nature as Patron that made her really care for him, or it was Credence himself, so vulnerable and broken. She couldn’t find that answer within herself, so she just continued her job – protecting him. It was she, who would take his leaflets, who said, “thank you” and “take care”. It was even (Y/N) with changed appearance who told some morons to get lost when they confronted Credence on his way home. It became her routine, as well as for him, seeing her in the crowd on the rallies.

It felt nice. He still didn’t let himself fully trust (Y/N), but it was nice, seeing her, even if it was just a back of her black coat. Sometimes, when Credence wasn’t on the streets, he would catch himself missing her voice with that slight British accent. He would notice thoughts that he could not afford having. What if she really cared for him?

However, (Y/N) wasn’t the only person he was seeing lately. However, Mr. Graves was different. He was cold, and dominant, sometimes almost harsh. The only thing that was common was some inner strength and confidence. Mr. Graves promised him something, that (Y/N) couldn’t. He promised to teach him magic. Something in the back of his mind was telling Credence that he shouldn’t trust Graves, but possibility of being a wizard was too much to lose. Maybe, just maybe, he would be strong enough then, to trust someone, to care for someone to protect someone. Maybe, he wouldn’t feel weak.

It was almost the middle of the night, (Y/N) was in the store, just because she was looking for the right book. Her silver nightdress was very noticeable in the darkness of the store, but the woman didn’t care. Who would be up so late to spy on her? However, she heard a quiet knock on the door, and jumped, dropping the book onto the floor. (Y/N) was too thrilled to care for a robe, instead she slowly approached the door, being ready to throw a spell in whoever was standing there. She turned the key, and then the handle, opening the door. At first she realized how freaking cold it was outside. And then, only than she understood who was standing in front of her.

 _“P-please. H-Help me”,_ (Y/N) eyes widened in shock.

 _“Oh God, Credence!”_ she almost forcefully drew him inside, not caring for his reaction this time, while closing the door.

He was standing there just as she left him, before shutting the door. (Y/N) carefully approached, feeling her heart sank. The boy was shivering both from contained cries and freezing wing. His teeth were chattering, while he was trying not to cry. It was the first time he asked for help. The first time he came here himself. And that was not a good sign.

 _“Credence,”_ (Y/N) hardly stopped herself from touching his shoulder. Her voice was trembling, timid for the first time, _“Credence, look at me, please”._

He lifted his gaze focusing on her face. He didn’t really need to lift his head, because of the difference in heights. Credence suddenly saw so much worry in her eyes, that he couldn’t stop a whimper. How stupid he was for all this time! He should have trusted her from the very beginning, stay here, when Ma came to take him away. Dweeb. Coward. Fool.

 _“Oh, Credence”,_ words escaped her lips as she extended her hand towards him. (Y/N) was trying to me calm, but her fingers were trebling violently.

It took some time for Credence to take her hand. She turned it around immediately, trying to find the reason of his pain. But his palms were clear. Her eyes widened in fear, in terror even, as she carefully looked at his face again. Credence was blaming himself for being so weak, for waking her up in the middle of the night. He was almost ready to go away, but suddenly she squeezed his hand closing her eyes for a second.

 _“Show me”,_ (Y/N)’s voice was hoarse as if she tried not to cry.

It was almost as if she stopped breathing. What that wretched woman might have done to him? And then suddenly (Y/N) saw something wet on the back of his jacket. She never prayed for something to be just snow like at that moment. She swallowed trying to get control back.

 _“C-come, I will patch y-you up”,_ maybe under other circumstances he would be surprised to hear her stammering, but it wasn’t time for that.

She lead him upstairs, sat him onto sofa und rushed to the kitchen for some water and aid kit. (Y/N) stopped for a second leaning onto counter and breathing heavily with a rising panic in her eyes. She was just staring into the window for a minute or so, coming back to reality only after a glass of water exploded next to her.

 _“Bloody hell”,_ she whispered and rushed to Credence forgetting about the mess instantly. (Y/N) needed to calm down.

Credence was staring at her with wide eyes, when she came back, frowning and moving extremely fast, almost sharp.

_“I-I am- I am s-sorry”._

_“Hush. There is nothing to apologize for”,_ she said, _“I need you to help me. We need to get rid of this”._

He was still shaking, but started to unbutton the jacket, wincing because of pain.

 _“Let me do that”,_ she sharply exhaled, _“I won’t lie, it will hurt.”_

(Y/N) was moving quickly, trying to do everything as fast as possible. It couple of minutes she tossed away his bloody shirt. Luckily, it didn’t dry out and stick to the wounds but Credence was clenching his tech so hard that she was afraid for him not to nit his tongue. (Y/N) let out a sharp shaky breath seeing the damage.

**Anger.**

The only thing she was feeling now was anger, bubbling in her throat.

**How dared she?**

(Y/N) knew Mary Lou was a sick woman, but now, seeing the scale of the damage she was just petrified. Any abuse was not okay, but this… This was too much. Scars were everywhere. (Y/N) was sure there wasn’t just one on his chest, but his back was a bloody mess now.

Just blood and lumps of skin.

It was a miracle that Credence managed to get here, that he didn’t bleed out on his way.

Her hand slid to his shoulder, forcing him to sit still and straighten his back. Credence flinched and (Y/N) rubbed her thumb across healthy skin, trying to calm him down. He was surprisingly broad-shouldered though never seemed like that due to constant slouching. Nevertheless, his shoulders were so sharp that (Y/N) thought she could feel his bones through the pale skin.

He was rough. Scares became nods on his skin, not leaving any place for anything else. There were no muscles, just cracks in him as if he was porcelain. He will break. Eventually he will, maybe in his restless sleep when those shadows inside will deepen and some force will explode, coming alive.

(Y/N) clenched her teeth and softly whispered an analgesic spell. Credence didn’t hear it, and she didn’t want him to, it was too early for that. Although, her hands were shaking she was working quick and as precise as she could. His shaky breathes combined with her whispers. (Y/N) knew, she couldn’t help him without magic this time.

She could not let him break.

(Y/N) released his shoulder after stopping her attempts to make that bloody mess a human back again. It was up to him to heal now. She touched his bandages once more and then stood up, coming up to the window and clenching fists. Her fingers were red from blood but the knuckles were almost as white as snow. She took a moment before looking to Credence, furrowing her brows and crossing her arms.

There he sat, all that angles and whimpers, looking at her with fear. He shouldn’t have come, it was too much of course she was angry.

 _“Don’t you dare”,_ she growled, seeing something in his eyes. _“Don’t you dare telling me “I’m sorry”, “I shouldn’t have come” and “I deserved it”. Don’t you dare.”_

He lowered his gaze, feeling sharp pain in his back and shivering from cold. His wounds were now bandaged, so (Y/N) came closer to cover him with blanket. Credence lifted up his head feeling her hand brushing against his cheek.

 _“Credence”,_ she sighed, _“I don’t want to know what you did, because whatever it was, you do not deserve this”._

She left him alone for a moment to clean the mess and wash her hands. When (Y/N) came back she saw him trying to put on his bloody shirt.

 _“Credence, for God’s sake!”_ she exclaimed stepping forward. He flinched to the loud sound and swallowed hard.

_“I-I need to come back”._

_“No bloody way. You cannot come back”._

_“I have to”._

_“Don’t you see what is she doing?”_ (Y/N)’s outburst was uncontrollable, making her ask the first for past month. _“She is hurting you, marking you, killing you! You need to leave, to run.”_

 _“I have nowhere to go”,_ Credence quietly said, shocked by (Y/N)’s behavior.

She suddenly stepped back, the feel of bitter resentment growing in her chest. Of course. Of course, he didn’t trust her enough to stay, they weren’t even friends. He came because he was scared, bleeding and dying. Of course. How could she think of something else?

 _“I need to go back. She will hurt Modesty and Chasity because of me”,_ his voice was merely above a whisper, but somehow with more confidence in it than ever before.

 _“It’s your choice”,_ (Y/N) said hollowly, trying to hold back whatever emotions were going to escape. She heard a quiet hiss and then some footsteps that subsided moment, before a whisper came out.

_“Thank you”._


	5. Chapter 5

(Y/N) felt like she was the worst Patron ever lived. Give him a choice, teach him how to make decisions. Yeah, right. And now he’s all about making his stupid decisions that can probably get him killed. On one hand, she was furious, on the other, however, she was shocked and somehow proud of Credence. For all this time, possessing the power to grind Mary Lou into dust, he never ever tried to hurt her. Moreover, he came back because of his sisters. That was… brave.

(Y/N) was sitting with her face hidden in her hands, trying to decide what to do next. She thought he wouldn’t allow her to come close again, not after that outburst. Oh Merlin, how hard was that. She missed the moment when she started caring for real. (Y/N) abruptly lifted her head hearing a sound of opening door. For a second she hoped it was Credence, but then she realized that he would have knocked. However, it was someone she didn’t expect.

_“Queenie?”_

_“Hi, (Y/N)”,_ she sweetly smiled coming closer. _“You look exhausted.”_

 _“Thanks,”_ (Y/N) shortly laughed, _“Didn’t sleep much last night.”_

 _“You are not the only one, to be honest”,_ Queenie sighed and sat next to the counter.

_“Why is that?”_

_“Tina. She was suspended from work.”_

_“What?! Why?”_

_“She… She attacked Mary Lou yesterday”,_ explained Queenie, watching (Y/N) eyes go wide. _“She tried to protect Credence”._

 _“That’s why…”_ (Y/N) covered her mouth in realization. Now everything was coming into place.

_“Why what?”_

_“He came here yesterday. All beaten up, worse than ever. He must have escaped after that.”_

_“Oh God. So that’s why you hadn’t enough sleep?”_ Queenie asked, knowing the answer already. _“Is he alright?”_

 _“Yes. He is as fine as he can be in such situation,”_ (Y/N) sighed, _“How is Tina?”_

 _“Upset”,_ Queenie shrugged _“That’s why I came, actually. I thought you could cheer her up.”_

 _“Not my specialty”,_ (Y/N) laughed.

_“I just don’t want her do any stupid things.”_

_“So, you want me to look after her.”_

_“Sort of. Go somewhere, have a talk over a cup of tea.”_

_“I need to get a new plate. “(Y/N) (L/N) Professional Patron”. What do you think?”_ (Y/N) said with a slight mischief in her eyes. _“Okay, okay, I’ll do that.”_

 _“Thank you, (Y/N)!”_ Queenie jumped and came to hug her friend.

_“I need something to distract me from problems, anyway”._

***

(Y/N) was standing beside Tina, understanding that it was exactly what Queenie told her not to do. She lowered her hat over her eyes not to be noticed. It was pure insanity to come to NSPS rally and try to hide in a vary center of the crowd. (Y/N) put her hair into a tight bun and put on a hat. She saw Credence from this distance, standing beside his mother, shivering from cold. She sighed, losing focus on Tina, who was meanwhile watching some strange man in a blue coat. (Y/N) turned her head, when she heard a familiar accent. That man was definitely British. It’s actually hard to meet and Englishman it the middle of New York.

 _“Are you a seeker? A seeker after truth?”_ Mary Lou exclaimed talking to a handsome Englishman who looked rather confused. (Y/N) rolled her eyes trying not to say something rude.

 _“I’m more of a chaser, really”,_ (Y/N) hardly restrained herself from laughing. Her lips jerked up, forming a smile, and she lowered her head to hide it.

Suddenly, a man moved to the bank, and Tina followed, leaving (Y/N) alone.

 _“Tina? What the-”_ she whispered starting to make her way through the crowd. She moved past Mary Lou and her children remaining unnoticed. Or so she thought.

Of course, Mary Lou was too busy with all her fanatic stuff, but Credence wasn’t. He saw (Y/N) right away, not knowing how to act. She never came so close to the rally, usually standing across the street. She, however, was occupied with something else not even looking in his direction. Credence saw her smiling to that man’s words. Does she know him? Credence never saw her smiling like that before, lowering her gaze and biting her lip. He watched her, as she followed that man to the bank. Credence frowned not, knowing why.

(Y/N) came inside the building noticing Tina, who was standing behind a pillar.

 _“What a hell are you doing?”_ (Y/N) whispered, standing next to her.

_“He is a wizard.”_

_“Oh, you liked that quidditch reference too?”_

_“No! He has something in his case!”_ she rolled her eyes before pointing at the man. _“Look!”_

He stood there for a second, deciding something and then pointed his wand in front of him, pulling another man towards himself. In a second they disapparate. Tina and (Y/N) stared incredulously.

 _“Wow”,_ (Y/N) said. Still staring to the place where men were. _“That was… unexpected.”_

 _“We need to catch him!”_ Tina said and rushed to the exit.

 _“What? Tina!”_ (Y/N) quickly followed her, almost running. _“Tina, for heaven’s sake!”_

 _“We need to catch him, (Y/N)! It is my chance to get my work back!”_ Tina looked down, noticing both men standing beside the wall. The British one was wrestling something into his case.

 _“Is that a Nif- Tina!”_ (Y/N) almost shouts, running after Goldstein, ignoring the NSPS rally that was pretty much over. She passed Mary Lou and Credence, her coat flapping behind her like dark wings. Credence clenched his teeth, looking into the ground. It was his fault, she wouldn’t come closer.

Tina was marching on to the man, suddenly grabbing him by the elbow and disapparating. (Y/N) hardly managed to grab her shoulder. They appeared into a side alley where man was almost pushed to the wall.

 _“Bloody hell, Tina! Are you insane?”_ (Y/N) exclaimed, breathing heavily.

 _“Who are you?”_ obviously (Y/N)’s words were ignored.

 _“Newt Scamander. And you are?”_ the man said looking confused.

(Y/N) examined him for a second. Scamander… His last name was familiar. He must be some relative of Theseus Scamander, famous auror. Tina showed him a MACUSA ID, though her answer about her occupation was a bit unconfident.

 _“Can you please tell me you took care of the No-Maj?”_ Tina asked, nervous.

_“The what?”_

_“She meant the Muggle”,_ (Y/N) sighed. _“Told you, Tina, your terminology is weird.”_

 _“You wiped his memory, right? The No-Maj with a case?”_ (Y/N) suddenly realized whole scale of a problem. That was bad. Americans were weird, so were their Muggle-related laws.

_“Um-”_

_“Oh well”,_ (Y/N) gasped.

 _“That’s a section 3A, Mr. Scamander. I’m taking you in.”_ Tina sighed, and then turned to (Y/N). _“I need you to help me.”_

_“What? No, I’m not working for the MACUSA”._

_“Please, (Y/N)”._

_“Fine-e”,_ she whined.

The slowly went out of the alley, walking in the direction of Broadway. (Y/N) was still examining Newt. He was doing the same.

 _“You are British, right?”_ he finally asked, making (Y/N) smile.

 _“Yes. Moved here couple of years ago. Nice to meet someone who talks properly”,_ she heard Tina snorted. _“Nice joke about quiddich, by the way.”_

 _“Thanks. That just popped into my mind”,_ Newt adorably smiled, making Tina frown.

_“(Y/N) stop talking to him. He’s a criminal.”_

_“Merlin’s beard, do you, Americans, have any sense of tact?”_ (Y/N) rolled her eyes, while Newt quietly giggled. _“He is not a criminal.”_

Tina just growled and started walking faster, almost dragging Newt by his coat’s sleeve. (Y/N) was walking next to them, casually chatting with him. Her accent seemed even more obvious now. She never imagined how much she missed home until now. No small pieces she managed to make for herself like 5 o’clock tea, Cornish pastries and other stuff could bring her a homey feeling. Newt somehow was so… familiar and warm, so British. (Y/N) didn’t feel so light and happy for a long time now. She couldn’t stop grinning to his stories about that Niffler of his. For some time she let herself forget about all the worries, about clenching feeling in her chest, when her thoughts came back to Credence.

Speaking of Credence. He was handing his leaflets standing on a corner of the street, when he heard someone laugh. The boy instinctively jerked his head to the sound, examining the street. He saw familiar coat, and realized it was (Y/N). He never heard her laughing. She smiled at him before, calmly and softly, sometimes almost unnoticeably if you don’t know what you’re looking for. But now Credence actually realized he never heard her laugh like that, openly, loudly, throwing her head back. She was walking with the same man, he, obviously was telling her about something that made her laugh. Credence was staring at them as they were passing by. Now (Y/N) wasn’t wearing a hat, and her hair was loose, waving in the wind lightly.

Credence had a small hope that she would notice him, and he would have an opportunity to say “thank you”. However, (Y/N) wasn’t paying any attention to what was happening around her, focusing only on Newt.

 _“-And then he just slipped into the vault! That sneaky little creature!”_ Newt said, staring fondly. (Y/N) was so curious about Niffler that he couldn’t help but smile at her in response. Newt was feeling more confident with someone from his homeland around, so a visit to MACUSA wasn’t so frightening anymore. _“That Niffler would be the death of me someday, you know.”_

 _“Oh, I would like to meet him, he is so adorable!”_ (Y/N) loudly said, making Tina trow an angry look at her. However, (Y/N) saw her smiling slightly at the story, so she just ignored that.

If she only knew that last two words were said too loudly. Credence instantly lowered his head, feeling his heart drop for some reason. Of course she wasn’t coming. Who would (Y/N) choose, that handsome ginger mad in a good coat she even called “adorable” or him, Credence, who had nothing, just a head full of demons? He sighed. Oh, he just hoped that he got a friend finally. He thought she was about to come closer to him than anyone else, just because of her words that night. _“You do not deserve this”._ That time he was almost ready to believe her, but now… Now she left, ignored him in the street and walked there with someone else. With someone who made her laugh.

That man was making her laugh, while Credence only saw worry, anger and tears in her eyes, when she looked at him. Somehow, he forgot about her kindness and slight smiles when he was saying something nice. Of course he did, blinded by some unknown feeling, not being able to lift his eyes up. (Y/N) was wrong. He deserved all of that. It was she, who didn’t deserve him at all. He clenched his hands before realizing he was jamming the leaflets. His eyes filled with fear and offense. Credence only started to trust her, and now everything changed in a beat. Well, he still knew she wanted best for him, and that she was worried at some point, but after seeing her so happy, he wondered if he had a right to come into her life and ruin that happiness.

Probably not.


	6. Chapter 6

Chilly wind caused shivers down the spine reminding it was winter already and all normal people should have stayed at home, because no coats or hats could protect them from the cold. (Y/N) was standing in front of MACUSA building, hiding her hands in the pocket of her coat and hoping that Tina won’t be long. She was humming some song to herself, trying to pass the time. Her thoughts were constantly coming back to Credence. He seemed relatively fine. Mary Lou was cruel, but she wasn’t stupid to let him go to the streets if he was injured too badly. She needed to maintain her reputation as a righteous woman, after all.

(Y/N) glanced to the building and noticed a tall dark haired man quickly passing by. Something in him made her think without any doubt that he was a wizard. Some strange mixture of power and authority was literally radiating from him. He was handsome to say at least, as if he was cut out of stone, like an old statue. His dark eyes seemed even darker hiding beneath bushy furrowed eyebrows. She uncomfortably shrugged, locking her gaze on him. His movements were sharp and gracious as if he was ready to attack. Man disappeared in the crowd and (Y/N) turned her stare back to the MACUSA. After a couple of moments Tina appeared. Newt was walking beside her, looking very nervous. (Y/N) almost could see panic in his eyes.

 _“What happened?”_ she asked curiously.

 _“The case. He lost his case!”_ Tina whined with anger.

_“I did not lose it! I think that muggle took it by mistake.”_

_“Merlin’s beard. What are you going to do now?”_ (Y/N) asked.

 _“We need to find it. And you are going to help us, (Y/N).”_ Tina stated without hesitation.

_“What? No way, I have other things to do!”_

_“For example?”_

_“I need to p-”_ (Y/N) cut herself, realizing that she almost split her secret. Nobody should know about Credence. _“I was supposed to meet someone.”_

 _“You have a date?”_ Tina raised her eyebrows in question.

 _“No. Yeah. No”,_ (Y/N) stammered, _“Well, sort of”._

_“How can it be sort of?”_

_“It’s complicated”,_ (Y/N) just said not even understanding why she said “yeah”.

Her meetings with Credence were not dates. She didn’t see Credence in any romantic way. Well, at least she tried to. She was his Patron, and that was the most important part of her life. He needed a friend, a protector, a family, but not a lover. At least not now. Also, (Y/N) couldn’t even imagine him considering her as a girl in that way. It didn’t matter whether she felt something for him or not, that wasn’t her choice at all and (Y/N) would never force him into something like that.

_“(Y/N)…”_

_“Okay, fine, I will help you, just shut up”,_ (Y/N) grunted, not seeing Tina’s smirk. _“Let’s go find that muggle.”_

***

##### Freak.

**Freak.**

#### F r e a k.

The word was echoing in his head, like a sound of drums. That what he was – a freak. Now everything fell into place – mother’s punishments, everybody else’s cruel words on the street, (Y/N) ignorance today. He was a freak, why would anyone wanted to be around him? Why anyone would chose him over someone else? Credence was breathing heavily clenching his hands into fists and feeling slight pain. His palms were hurting, but it was nothing in comparison to what he felt because of that man’s, the senator, words. Credence was walking alone through the brightly lighted street, seeing people sitting in cafes, couples laughing and holding hands. He just stared into the ground not allowing himself to think about (Y/N) who might laugh and hold that ginger man’s hand, just like that. Of course she did, that man was not a freak.

Credence glanced to Woolworth building and noticed a man standing across the street. Graves stares at him intently. Interesting, how long was he standing there, waiting Credence to come? Or he just knew when the boy would appear? Well, Graves was exactly the kind of man who would have known everything. Credence moved forward forgetting about everything else. For now, Graves was the only glimmer of hope, even if the false one.

The alley was dark and cold wind made Credence shiver a little. He was standing close to Graves, bowing his head. Percival moved closer making Credence feel a bit uncomfortable. He didn’t step back though, but realized, that having (Y/N) this close was much more pleasant. Graves was… intimidating. He was strong, powerful and almost suppressed Credence, made him feel small and weak. But at least he didn’t thought of him as a freak. Or did he? However, Credence sometimes thought that the father should be like that – strong, controlling maybe intimidating a little.

_“You are upset. It’s you mother again. Somebody’s said something – what did they say? Tell me”_

Credence exhaled, taking a moment. For a second he wanted to say all the truth. He was called a freak before, nothing new actually, but in the light of (Y/N) ignoring him it hurt so much more. He bit his lip, but decided to keep quiet. (Y/N) was his secret, and only his.

 _“Do you think I’m a freak?”_ he asked instead. Lying was easy. Breathing was hard.

 _“No- I think you are a very special young man or I wouldn’t have asked you for help, now would I?”_ Lying was easy. Breathing was even easier. For Graves, for sure.

Graves touched his hand, and Credence tried so hard not to flinch. He must be strong. Graves is not (Y/N) he wouldn’t understand. If it was her, Credence could have flinched away and not be judged because of that. But it wasn’t (Y/N). And it never would be.

_“Have you any news?”_

Credence froze. He felt something curling inside his chest, making him want to cough, as if there was smoke in his lungs. He felt his fingertips grow cold. His breathing increased, almost as if he was afraid. And oh God, he was.

_“I’m still looking. Mr. Graves, if I knew whether it was a girl or a boy-”_

And there it was again, empty promises, Credence believed, beautiful words he listened. Over and over again. Credence listened and then watched him leave, feeling a dark, black smoke curling in his lungs.

***

(Y/N) was sitting on the couch watching worried Newt, irritated Tina and Queenie and Jacob completely captivated by each other. She sighed, and came to the window looking out at the night city, feeling blunt worry in her heart. Something was wrong. (Y/N) spent last month and a half, meting Credence almost every day, talking with him at least for a minute, and this time was an exception. Of course, it’s not every day, when she is hunting magical creatures, hiding a muggle in her friend’s apartment, but not knowing what is happening with Credence was the worst. She wasn’t listening to anything that was happening around. (Y/N) just stood beside the window, her eyes dark, her lips pressed together and her posture stiff.

_“He is alright, dear”._

(Y/N) turned to Queenie, who was looking at her with sympathy. Jacob, Tina and Newt, were already sitting at the table, staring at both women with curiosity.

 _“Stop reading my mind, please”_ slight irritation in (Y/N)’s voice showed how worried she really was. _“He is not, I can feel that”,_ she actually didn’t care about anything anymore. She felt like coughing suddenly.

_“He can do without you one day, you know”._

_“If he could I wasn’t here at all”._

_“This burden is too much for you, you need to relax. Eat with us.”_

_“He is not a burden, Queenie”,_ (Y/N) sharply answered, but then added more softly _“I’m sorry. I’m just- I’m not hungry”._

She inhaled deeply, feeling like she was running out of air. Air became thick and so hard to breath with, that (Y/N) just closed her eyes, trying to calm down. Her hands were trembling, and she rapidly gone pale. She attempted to make a step to the door, but suddenly the knees became weak, and she almost fell. (Y/N) grabbed the back of the sofa to stay on her feet. Something was wrong. Very very wrong.

 _“(Y/N)?”_ Queenie asked rushing towards her.

 _“I-I’m just not feeling well”,_ (Y/N) whispered, feeling her voice break.

_“Maybe you want to go to bathroom?”_

(Y/N) just nodded and went there, with a help, of course. She was feeling dizzy, the world was spinning around too fast. She didn’t listen to what Queenie was telling others. She just stood there leaning onto the sink, breathing heavily. Her lungs were burning, and limbs freezing. (Y/N) bowed her head, her hair falling to her face. She was gasping for air, clenching her fingers onto the sink. She lifted her head to look at herself in the mirror, and recoiled away. She hit the door with her back, not caring for the sharp pain continue staring at her reflection.

Her eyes were completely white as if there were never even a hint of iris or pupil. Her face twisted in fear, as she stared without even blinking. She brought her hand to her cheek and noticed that her fingers started to turn black. She gasped and finally blinked.

**Blink.**

And then there was nothing. Her hands shaking and trembling, but pale, with swollen veins. Her eyes terrified and wide, but normal. Something was really wrong. And she herself wasn’t a reason. It should have been Credence.

***

Organ suddenly started to play. It was a creepy, cold music that sounded more like a beast roar, but still a music, sending shivers down the spine.

Suddenly, all the light exploded as one, causing screams and cries for help. A dark, uncontrollable force rushes forward through the crowd.

A beat. Senator was dead even before his body touched the floor, when he soared into the air.

**Dead.**

***

(Y/N) rushed out of the bathroom, facing Queenie. She seemed worried and quiet as never before. (Y/N) instantly hid every single thought she had, as if her life depended on it. She didn’t know the reason, to be honest, but that felt right. Credence was her secret and only hers.

_“(Y/N), are you alright?”_

_“Yes- Yes, I’m better”._

_“You’ve been there more than for an hour. I was calling you, trying to unlock the door, but it wouldn’t open.”_

_“O-oh. I-I’m sorry, Queenie, I might have lost control”,_ (Y/N) apologetically said. _“Where are the others?”_

 _“Well, Newt and Jacob escaped through the window, and Tina followed them”,_ she said sadly, _“We made them cocoa, (Y/N)!”_

 _“That’s- That’s awful, Queenie”,_ Y/N) answered not really paying attention. _“What is she going to do when she catches them?”_

_“I think she will bring them to MACUSA”._

_“Shit”,_ (Y/N) breathed out, understanding that Newt might have known something about obscurus. _“I’m sorry Queenie, I’ve got to go”._

_“Wait, (Y/N)! What’s going on?”_

_“If I only Knew, Queenie. If I only knew”._

***

(Y/N) was basically running through the streets, hoping to catch Tina before she passes Newt to MACUSA. She appeared in front of the building right in time, noticing a familiar grey coat near the doors.

 _“Tina!”_ she shouted, running faster, and almost grabbing her shoulder when appeared next to her.

_“I know what you are going to say. I’m going to do this”._

_“You can do whatever the hell you like, I just need to talk with Newt before that.”_

_“You can’t. He is a criminal and-”_

_“For Merlin’s sake, Tina, you know that’s not true! I need that!”_

They were walking though the hall, right to the Pentagram office, where Madam President was. (Y/N) tried to convince Tina one more time, but she wouldn’t listen. Goldstein just rushed into the office, leaving (Y/N) no choice but to follow.

_“Madam President. I’m so sorry to interrupt, but this is critical-”_

(Y/N) stares for a second, seeing too many people inside. She notices some familiar faces. They walked into a very serious meeting. Right now, all (Y/N) cover could blew up in a second. They were talking about something, Tina nervous and unsure what to say. Suddenly, (Y/N) hear her name.

_“Is that (Y/N) (L/N)? The daughter of Erion (L/N)?”_

_“Shit”,_ she muttered, raising her head. No way back. _“Yes, Minister”._

_“Your father looks for you”._

_“I bet he is”,_ she growled, holding her head up. Everything was going down, but at least she will have some pride.

Meanwhile, Tina opened the case, Newt and Jacob appeared after. (Y/N) wasn’t listening, focusing on the image floating in the air. Her heart started the mad race, and her hands clenched into fists, making her knuckles go white.

 _“No creature did this!”_ Newt exclaimed, bringing (Y/N) back to reality. Of course, he is not a creature. He is human. He is a scared boy, who she failed to protect. _“Don’t pretend! You know what that was. Look at the marks! That was an-”_

(Y/N) lost her breath, already knowing the answer.

 _“Obscurus.”_ They finished the sentence at the same time, tough (Y/N) much quieter, only Newt could hear her.

_“You’ve gone too far, Mr. Scamander. There is no Obscurial in America.”_

(Y/N) almost laughed. Of course. There was no Patrons, no Obscurials. Stupid blind men. Doing everything for not to destroy their perfect illusion of the safe world. She knew what was going to happen next. Obvious.

_“Arrest them.”_


	7. Chapter 7

_“I’m so sorry about your creatures, Mr. Scamander. I truly am.”_

They were sitting in the cell remaining silent before Tina started to talk. Well, they were sitting, whereas (Y/N) was leaning onto the grille. She was quiet, breathing peacefully now, but still tense. She had never seen such despair as in Newt’s eyes, who was sitting there with his head in his hands.

_“Can someone please tell me what this Obscurial– Obscurius thing is? Please?”_

(Y/N) raised her head, looking directly at Jacob, wondering if he ever thought if magic was real. Newt was saying something she already knew.

Dark. Fierce. Uncontrollable.

Credence was none of that. He was kind, strong and selfless. Nothing could make him dark. She would not allow that. Never.

_“It’s an unstable, uncontrollable Dark force that busts out and- and attacks… and then vanishes”_

(Y/N) huffed, trying to contain a bitter laugh.

 _“(Y/N) what’s that?”_ Tina asked feeling her bitterness.

 _“I would look at you, if you were abused, blamed for who you are. I would look how unstable you would have been”,_ she clenched her fists, breathing heavily.

(Y/N) could feel the rage growing in her chest. She was helpless. Instead of looking for him, helping him, protecting him, she stuck in the prison cell. She was trying to calm down, feeling guilty for talking like that to Tina, but something grew inside her, something else other than her own fears and doubts.

_“What do you mean?”_

_“Do you think Obscurus comes just because people call you a freak?”_ that word felt disgusting on her tongue. _“It comes from continuous abuse, both mental and physical. It happens when you have no one to help, no one to p-protect you”,_ her voice broke.

 _“You know who it is.”_ Tina said in realization.

 _“Of course I know”,_ (Y/N) painfully laughed, suddenly feeling the taste of aches in heк mouth. _“Of course I know, I am his Patron after all. The worst he could possibly get from the universe”._

Newt jerked his head, staring intently at (Y/N). He was thinking something, she could tell.

_“A Patron? They are a legend”._

_“So are the Obscurials, right?”_ she asked sarcastically.

 _“I’m sorry, but what is a Patron?”_ Jacob interrupted with a confused voice. Tina and Newt turned their heads to (Y/N), making her feel interrogated.

 _“There are some things in wizarding world that need protection. Mostly, they are artifacts, too powerful to belong in someone’s hands”,_ (Y/N) started, talking quietly and a little bit distantly. _“There aren’t lot of them. Some are well known, some are not.”_

_“For example?”_

_“The Shroud of Turin?”_ (Y/N) suggested, _“I don’t know, Mr, Kowalski. Patrons do not communicate, we don’t have a huge list of items under protection. I know almost as little as you do”,_ she sighed but continued. _“You are born like that. At first it is as usual, you raise, study magic and in some moment realize, you need to protect something. Most of the time you just take the artifact with you and live your life, but sometimes-”_

 _“Sometimes it’s not a thing”,_ Newt softly finished.

 _“Sometimes it isn’t”,_ (Y/N) nodded. _“It was my last year at Hogwarts, when it all went down. My wand stopped working, and it became a useless piece of wood. I had to leave, because the only way was to find my ward”._

 _“Why- Why didn’t you just ignore?”_ Jacob asked carefully.

 _“You ignore and you die. Being a Patron is not a choice. We are born for this. It is our purpose in life, whether we like it or not”,_ (Y/N) simply stated. _“At first I was- I was furious, but meeting him… It changed me”._

 _“All of the Obscurial kids have a Patron?”_ Newt asked, remembering a girl from Sudan.

 _“I don’t know. The only thing I know for sure is that this one has”,_ (Y/N) certainly stated _“And if somebody tries to hurt him, I will rip their hand out.”_

 _“Whoa, (Y/N)”,_ Tina gasped, seeing a deathly confidence on her face.

 _“He already had gone through too much,”_ she shrugged, feeling surprisingly certain. _“And I will stand against all of the MACUSA, the world even, to protect him.”_

 _“Who is he?”_ Tina asked carefully, eyeing (Y/N) intently.

 _“You really think I’m going to tell you? I’ve already told too much,”_ she muttered.

_“I’m not going to pass him, okay? I want to help!”_

_“I know”,_ (Y/N)’s face softened, and she smiled a little. _“But he is my responsibility”._

 _“Wait, but- obscurials can’t survive long, can they?”_ Tina suddenly asked, in terror of realization.

 _“There’s no documented case of any Obscurial surviving past the age of ten. The one I met in Africa was eight when she- she was eight when she died”,_ there was so much pain in Newt’s eyes, that (Y/N) unintentionally placed her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it in a support.

_“What you are telling me here- that Senator Shaw was killed by a- by a kid?”_

Well, not exactly, (Y/N) thought, but remained silent, letting Newt’s gaze to answer. It was hard. Even despite the fact that Credence was much older than they thought, it was horrible.

 _“At least this boy has a hope,”_ Newt lifted his head looking into (Y/N)’s eyes. _“He has you”._

(Y/N) just weakly smiled, feeling her heart drop.

***

(Y/N) sat next to Newt, Tina stood behind them flanked by the two other people. Newt was nervous, his head bowed, and his hands clasped in front of him. (Y/N) in contrast, was trying to look relaxed, leaning onto the back of the chair, her hands on her lap, her eyes examining the man in front of her.

_“You’re an interesting man, Mr. Scamander”._

(Y/N) contained a growl. Her lips were pressed together into thin line.

 _“You are, Miss (L/N), even more extraordinary”,_ Graves smirked. _“A disgraced daughter of one of the most powerful wizards in England.”_

 _“Depends on what you mean by grace, Mr. Graves”,_ she snapped back, raising her eyebrow. _“We, obviously have different definitions of it.”_

Graves sighed, but she noticed a slight satisfaction in his eyes. So, he wanted to play. She would give him a little game. He turned his head to Newt, who was much less confident in front of Graves. To be honest, he sent shivers down (Y/N)’s spine as well, but she would never admit it. She examined his every move, every feature of his face and every stitch on his shirt.

Sleek.

That was the only word she could find to describe him. Sleek, aristocratic, dominant. In the same time, there was something wrong in his good looks. As if you look on someone’s face and realize that the eyes are the wrong color. (Y/N) heard about Percival Graves, of course she did, from Tina and sometimes even Queenie. The described him as stoic, powerful man, but the one who is likely to jump into the thick of the battle and sacrifice himself for the sake of the team. (Y/N) wasn’t a legiliment, but she could tell it wasn’t the man she was told of. Something was wrong.

_“I’m not one of Grindelwald’s fanatics, Mr. Graves.”_

_“Maybe. But what about you, Miss (L/N)? Your father is known for his anti-no-maj views.”_

_“I’m not my father,”_ she stated. _“Why do you think I escaped?”_

_“To help him in America, maybe?”_

_“To help whom, Mr. Graves? Gellert Grendewald?”_ she asked staring into his eyes. _“Don’t you think if I was one of his, I would let myself to be caught? Do you think you still would be alive?”_

“I think I can handle one little witch without a wand”, he scoffed, knowing that she was just provoking him. (Y/N) smirked leaning forward.

“ _You can try”,_ she mischievously said with a slight dangerous glimmer in her eyes.

 _“I can,”_ he answered, staring into her eyes for a second. _“But I wonder what you can tell me about this, Mr. Scamander?”_

His hand slowly raised up, pulling something from Newt’s case. (Y/N) loudly inhaled, staring at him with wide eyes. For a second her heart stopped. Obscurus. Not that one, though, so she relaxed. A black smoke was curling inside of the transparent sphere, which looked like a soap bubble. (Y/N)’s breathing increased while she moved forward, just as Graves did. He reached his hand towards the sphere, and the smoke swirled faster, bubbling and shrinking backward. (Y/N) subconsciously threw an angry glance at Graves, as if he scared the smoke. She was fascinated, fighting the desire to touch it. The Obscurus felt so familiar. She sighed, coming back to reality.

_“So it’s useless without the host?”_

_“Useless?”_ (Y/N) asked, not believing her ears.

 _“Useless?”_ Newt continued, looking shocked. _“This is a parasitical magical force that killed a child. What on Earth would you use it for?”_

(Y/N) knew exactly what for. They were making Credence a weapon. They were hunting him, jut to use his powers. That was exactly what she should protect him from. (Y/N) shrank back, as a wild animal, ready to attack.

_“You are therefore guilty of a treasonous betrayal of your fellow wizards and are sentenced to death. Miss Goldstein who has aided and abetted you-”_

_“No, she’s hone nothing of the kind-”_

_“-she receives the same sentence.”_

_“You, bastard,”_ (Y/N) growled, standing up.

_“Same applies to Miss (L/N).”_

_“What are you planning to do with the Obscurus, huh, Graves?”_ she moved forward before the executioners caught her arms. _“Expose wizardkind? Provoke world between magical and non-magical world?”_ she quoted him staring deep into his eyes.

 _“However I will interrogate her a little more,”_ Graves suddenly said. _“One of you-”,_ he turned to one of the executioners, _“-wait behind the door. I will call you when we finish”._

They left, now only Graves and (Y/N) in the room. She was staring at him with so much hate and anger, so if it was possible to kill with looks, Graves would have been already a pile of aches. He rolled his sleeves and rested his hands on the table, looking and (Y/N) from above.

 _“You are digging your own grave, Miss (L/N),”_ if not the anger, she would have laughed at the pun.

_“Maybe I am suicidal.”_

_“Listen, I don’t want anyone die here tonight”,_ he started, gazing at her almost with sympathy. _“You can go right out of that door.”_

_“Can I?”_

_“Yes. But you need to stand your stupid thing down. Whatever you were doing with Scamander, it’s done.”_

_“Why you are so kind?”_

_“Your father is a wise man. He understands the danger from no-maj people”._

_“My father is a maniac with a God complex”,_ she spitted, looking angrily at Graves. _“If I didn’t know, I would think you are Grindelwald himself.”_

Graves grinned, something in his eyes saying she was not that far from truth.

_“Well, I see, you are not easy to convince”._

_“Convince? To help Grindelwald? To kill muggles?”_

_“To protect wizardkind.”_

(Y/N)’s face twisted in disgust when he used word “protect”. She leaned forward, moving closer to him, so their noses were it mere inches away.

 _“No. Bloody. Way”,_ she said, separating every word.

Graves growled moving backward, looking mad. (Y/N) was gazing at him, victorious.

 _“Take her!”_ he exclaimed, leaving the room.

(Y/N) didn’t even resist, knowing she need to get to Newt and Tina. They were smart enough to survive so far, so now the problem was to get back together, take Jacob and the case, and escape. And then run away as far as they can. The executioner guided her through corridors, but when they were turning around the corner, something big attacked. (Y/N) barely managed to dodge, and didn’t get any time to realize what happened, before someone grabbed her hand and pulled her after themselves. She run subconsciously, bat then noticed a familiar blue coat.

_“Newt!”_

_“Hi, (Y/N), we thought you might need some help”,_ he said releasing some beast that looked like some alien butterfly.

 _“We need to get Jacob! And your case”,_ shouted (Y/N), ducking from another spell, and sending one by herself. She caught an amazed Newt’s gaze. _“What? I don’t use wands, remember?”_

 _“Leave his brains! Come on!”_ Newt yelled making a weird clicking sound. (Y/N) turned to see that weird creature again. _“Come on!”_

 _“What is that thing?”_ Tina asked running next to Newt.

_“Swooping Evil.”_

_“Well I like it!”_

They run blocking spells and throwing some it response. Three of them sprinted around the corner, almost colliding with Jacob and Queenie. For a second everybody was just standing, panic all over their faces, out of breath. Queenie gestured to the case. The case!

_“Get in!”_

***

The sun was coming down, giving it’s last beams to the world. The sky was dull, a hazy shade of winter. (Y/N) was looking up, sitting on some box on some rooftop. She missed the stars. Newt stepped onto the ledge and looked over the immense city. Tina was standing next to him, Queenie and Jacob were inside the pigeon shed, talking quietly.

_“Graves always insisted the disturbances were caused by a beast. We need to catch all your creatures so he can’t keep using them as a scape goat.”_

_“You better do that”,_ (Y/N) hoarsely said. _“Graves is a hell of a bastard.”_

 _“What he said to you?”_ Tina turned her head, standing on the ledge.

_“Some stuff about protecting human kind. He has something to do with Grindelwald, I think.”_

_“And Obscurial?”_

_“Listen, I know what you think. Dark force, parasite, destruction, blah blah blah”, (Y/N) started standing on her feet. _“But he is not like that. He is everything but dark. My ward has nothing to do with Grindelwald, evil or Graves.”__

__“How can you be so sure?”_ Tina carefully asked, trying to talk some sense to (Y/N)._

__“Because I know him. I was the one who was stitching him up, when his mother beat him up, the one who brought him food and hot tea, when he was freezing on the street”, her voice was trembling a little. _“I was the one who had to see him leave, because he was afraid that she would hurt his sisters. Does evil do that? Does evil care, Tina?”__ _

___“(Y/N), I’m sorry. I-”_ _ _

___“Don’t. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. All of this”,_ (Y/N) waved her hand. _“I need to go now.”__ _

__“Where?” Tina asked, touching (Y/N)’s hand. She sighed, looking in the direction of the New Salem Church. She was terrible in Apparation, and could do it only on very small distances, so it was going to take some tome._ _

___“To him. I’ll take him out of this city.”_ _ _


	8. Chapter 8

The sun was slowly setting down, coloring the sky in the subtle red and gold. Credence was looking out of the window, hoping that he will have this time for himself. His Mother was busy downstairs with Modesty and Chasity, not wanting him there. Not that he was upset about that.

He was breathing slowly now, much calmer than before. However, he was scared. Scared and at the same time not. He was picking at the necklace, small pendant that looked as if it was made by hand, a little bit wobbly and unsteady. It was a strange sign, similar to weird triangular eye with vertical pupil.

_“I would trust very few with it. Very few.”_

Maybe couple of days ago Credence would be happy. But now… It wasn’t worth it after all. At that very moment, he thought just for a second, mere second, that he would become a wizard powerful and incredible, and then he would show to (Y/N) that he was better that that ginger man. However, how could he? Even if he did, she didn’t chose him, it wouldn’t be her decision. And she always gave him an opportunity to make his own. How could he took that right from her? That way he would be just like his mother. Controlling, cruel, violent.

He would never be like her. Never.

There was something else.

_“The child is dying, Credence. Time is running up.”_

Well, that meant he was dying then, right? If so, than why he was so calm, as if didn’t matter at all? He was scared. Scared of death, of the possibility, that his Ma was right, and he would go to Hell. But at the same time, death meant that for him everything will be over. Everything. Cold, hunger, pain. Maybe that was the way? Credence wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell Graves that it was him, all this time. He sighed, looking through the window. He shouldn’t have trust him.

Trust. Faith.

_“Have some faith in me”._

Her voice sounded so clear as if she was standing right beside him, smiling slightly, trying to catch his eyes. Credence closed his eyes for a second, thinking is there wasn’t that man, if (Y/N) knew who, what he was, would she accept him? He didn’t knew. But he had faith in her.

Faith is a dangerous thing to have, because it hurts when it’s broken.

***

(Y/N) didn’t think that it will be hard to persuade Tina to let her go. She couldn’t say they were best friends, not even close. However, Tina was too worried, and didn’t want to let (Y/N) go alone. She was sure they can do it together, catch Newt’s demiguise, help the Obscurial boy, run away from Graves. That was sweet, but (Y/N) couldn’t lose time anymore. She was surprised and moved, so she just hugged Tina and disapparate before Goldstein said something else.

It was quiet. Not only because night was coming down the city, but also because something else. (Y/N) started to think about what happened with her at Goldsteins’. That was strange to say at least. She felt so much pain, so much anger, but it wasn’t hers. (Y/N) was sure that she felt what Credence felt in that moment, but it was much stronger than any time before. When she was in England, she felt his pain in her dreams, but as soon as she arrived to New York it stopped. She was feeling his emotions slightly, something like a bad feeling and worry about him, but what happened today was different. Maybe the reason was him being in his Obscurial form and really killing someone. Maybe it was just too much for Credence alone, so he subconsciously shared his emotions with her. That was the only rational reason.

For now it was quiet, just (Y/N)’s own worries and fears. She was planning to take him away, take a ship to England and hide somewhere never to be found. Yeah, that sounded good enough for her. For now, she decided to stop by her bookstore. (Y/N) wasn’t sure if credence was okay physically, so she needed some potions, to be sure she could help. Apparating was exhausting, and she didn’t really understand why the hell Patrons were so bad at it. Okay, that was clear that they needed to protect their wards, attack the danger, and sometimes look for them, but what about moving fast, or healing them. Or maybe, it was just (Y/N) who should have practiced more.

She came inside the store, rushing upstairs, trying to find everything she needed. Fortunately, not only Newt had fathomless case. She got her purse for her 16th birthday, right before this entire Patron thing started. Well, now it would serve its purpose. Of course, it would not contain a whole another world, but it was enough for couple of potions and a scarf. (Y/N) was putting some bottles inside when she felt a sharp jolt in the chest.

***

A wand. It felt almost real, he thought, though he never held a real wand in his hands. Credence saw Mr. Graves using his wand to heal the wounds, but of course, he was never allowed to hold or touch it. For a second he forgot about the world.

_“Whatchoo doin’, Credence?”_

Innocent voice made him jump, banging his head on the bed. He quickly stood up, turning around to see Modesty. Thank God, it was she. The girl however was terrified. She looked at the wand in his hands, panic rising in her eyes.

 _“Where’d you get this?”_ he asked, hoping to know. Maybe he was not the only one, maybe Modesty knew magic to. They could escape together, come to (Y/N) and take her with- No, (Y/N) was happy, he couldn’t just came it and ruin that.

 _“Give it back, Credence. It’s just a toy”,_ her words are just above a whisper. Credence suddenly realized what exactly he was holding in his hands. If Ma kn-

The door banged open, making both children to jump. Mary Lou, was standing there mad as she could be. Her gaze traveled from Modesty, to Credence, and then to the wand in his hands. She was breathing heavily, unable to speak because of hatred. She was turning red, her lips trembling and eyes burning.

_“Take it off!”_

Words slapped no worse than a belt itself. Credence flinched, feeling as slippery tentacles were squeezing his heart. Mary Lou didn’t wait for long, she rushed forward grabbing him by the collar and almost throwing the boy to the landing. She comes after him, rapidly taking away the wand. She stood there powerful and frightening. She raised her hands up, her face full of loathing as she snapped the wand in two.

 _“Ma-”_ he whispered, trying to plead hoping she would stop.

_“I am not your ma! Your mother was a wicked, unnatural woman!” Credence flinched away. _“You, your mother, your precious friend (Y/N), all of you are evil, you are going to end up in Hell!”__

_Credence tried to say something. No, not, they were not evil. (Y/N) wasn’t for sure. She was kind and gentle, how could she? Modesty suddenly hade her way in between them. No, no, no. Credence tried to move forward to shield her, as if it would change anything. He was shaking and losing control._

__“It was mine”._ _

__“Modesty-”_ _

_Suddenly the belt whipped out of Mary Lou’s hands leaving a bright angry mark on her hand. Credence crouched down in the corner, hugging his knees and shaking. He was whispering nothings just to ground himself down. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he wasn’t able to stop them. He felt a stare and turned his head to meet Mary Lou’s eyes. For a second Credence saw tears of fear in her eyes._

_And then everything went dark._

__

***

(Y/N) dropped a small bottle of some potion to the floor, not really seeing it broke.

_“Credence”._

That name slipped from her lips with a whisper, the same time her eyes turned white. She rushed to the exit not being able to apparate from the inside of the store. She was still shaking, running through the street as fast as she could. (Y/N) cursed herself a thousand times for not being that good in apparation, Short distances didn’t seem to help at all, just draining her faster.

Faster. Faster. Faster.

She couldn’t allow herself to be late this time. She made her last jump, appearing in the middle of the street. (Y/N) froze and so did her heart. She breathed heavily, coming closer to the destroyed church. Woman moved silently, holding her hand a little bit higher than usual, ready to attack.

 _“Lumos”,_ she whispered quietly, making a small spark lit up in her hand. Other than that spark and the moonlight there were no other light sources at all.

The beam from the spark fell to the face, and (Y/N) hardly contained a scream. She quickly leaned do touch girls neck. No pulse. She sighed, covering girl’s eyes. It had to be Chasity, if (Y/N) remembered correctly. She didn’t bother to come closer when she saw Mary Lou’s body, covered with familiar marks.

 _“I wish it was me, Credence, not you”,_ (Y/N) tonelessly whispered, examining the ruins. There were no signs of Credence himself, or Modesty, his younger sister. She stepped forward noticing something gleamed in the dark. She took it, her eyes widening in terror.

Deathly hallows. Grindelwald.

He got him. She was late. (Y/N) covered her mouth with her hand, still holding the pendant. She was breathing heavily, her thoughts rushing back and forth.

 _“Ok, (Y/N), relax. He is alive and you know that. You just need to find him”,_ her voice was wobbly, and her hands shaking. Suddenly, the realization struck her. Modesty. She wasn’t here, Grindewald doesn’t care for her, so he would kill her here if he had a chance. But she wasn’t here, so she was alive. (Y/N) frantically tried to remember every little thing Credence told her about his sister.

_“Ma adopted Modesty out of tenement in Bronx. From a family of twelve. She still misses her brothers and sisters”._

Bronx. But where exactly? (Y/N) Closed her eyes, understanding, that she would never be able to make that way on foot. What if Credence were there too? Maybe if she concentrates hard enough, their connection will bring her to him. (Y/N) closed her eyes, still trembling a little, pressing her hands to her chest and whispering his name. Nothing.

 _“Oh, come on!”_ she whined and then closed her eyes again. _“Credence. Credence. Credence, for God’s sake!”_

Surprisingly, on her last words that came out more like a shout she felt a familiar tug at her stomach.

***

(Y/N) fell to the ground, exhaling sharply. She did it! Did she? Woman carefully attempted to stand up, holding onto the wall, and trying to see something in the dark. Here knees were trembling a little and she still was out of breath, but at least she didn’t split. That was good news. Bad news – where the hell is Credence? As if in response to her thoughts, she heard a familiar voice. Two voices, to be precise.

_“What is this place?”_

(Y/N) ducked recognizing the owner of that hoarse deep voice. Graves.

_“Ma adopted Modesty out of there. From the family of twelve. She still misses her brothers and sisters. She still talks about them.”_

Credence. (Y/N) gasped, instantly covering her mouth. She watched them climbing the stairwell. She slowly made her way out of her shelter that happened to be a table. She needed to be careful, because attacking Graves wasn’t the smartest idea of them all. (Y/N) followed them stepping carefully, trying not to make any noise.

 _“Where is she?”_ Graves asked. Oh. He didn’t know. He thought it was Modesty. (Y/N) bit her lip, coming closer and closer.

 _“I don’t know”,_ he sounded so broken that (Y/N)’s heart sank. She was still standing in the shadows, her eyes dark with danger and her hand ready to attack.

 _“You’re a Squib, Credence. I could smell it off you the minute I met you”,_ (Y/N) could literally see Credence’s shoulders fall.

 _“What?”_ they moved forward, Credence subconsciously following Graves, with (Y/N) still unnoticed right behind him.

_“You have the magical ancestry, but no power.”_

_“But you said you could teach me-”_ (Y/N) clenched her teeth being ready to punch that bastard right into his stupid face. Of course, that what he promised, magic. If she was smarter, she would show Credence the truth earlier. It’s her fault.

 _“You are unteachable. Your mother’s dead. That’s you reward.”_ Graves moved to another landing right in (Y/N)’s direction. _“I’m done with you.”_

She needed to get to Credence. She could feel him losing control, but right now, Graves was right between them. (Y/N) wasn’t strong enough to fight him, especially with uncontrollable obscurus around. She knew he would never hurt her, but it wasn’t the easiest thing anyway. She had to walk backward, because Graves was coming closer. Suddenly she saw Modesty curled up under the bed. Well, even if (Y/N) couldn’t get to Credence, she at least could help his sister. He would be grateful. She sneaked into the room, while Graves was examining another one.

 _“Modesty,”_ (Y/N) whispered lowering herself in front of the girl. _“Modesty, I’m (Y/N). I’m Credence’s friend. I know you are scared, but trust me, I’ll help you. Come here”,_ she extended her hand, and surprisingly girl nodded coming closer. She almost got into (Y/N)’s hands, when the both jumped, because of the voice coming from behind. (Y/N) jerked, raising her hand and tried to shield Modesty.

 _“You”,_ Graves growled, coming closer, making them go backward.

 _“Me indeed”,_ (Y/N) tremulously snapped back.

_“You are staring to be very annoying, Miss (L/N)”._

_“I presume you’ve always been such a bastard, right?”_

_“You are too sharp-tongued, girl. We should shorten that tongue a little”._

_“I’ll watch you try.”_

_“Let the girl go and I’ll let you live. More or less.”_

_“Go f-”_ (Y/N) started and the trailed off, noticing the cracks begun to appear like a spider web. Graves looked at Modesty, while (Y/N) was concentrated on her hands. Her fingers started to turn black again and she could only suggest that her eyes were blindly white. She turned her head to the opposite wall, which was now collapsing turning into sand. Graves glanced to (Y/N) and then back to wall, understanding that he had made a terrible error. Woman back away, cowering Modesty with herself, still staring to the hole where it used to be a wall lately. She now faced Credence, first time for couple of days, who wasn’t able to control his fury and sense of betrayal.

 _“Credence”,_ she whispered, but her words were killed with Graves’.

_“Credence… I owe you an apology…”_

_“I trusted you. I thought you were my friend. That you were different”._

_“Oh, Credence”,_ (Y/N) attempted to come closer, stepping forward. She saw his face started to contort, sucking the air out of her lungs at the same time. _“Cre-”_

 _“You can control it, Credence”,_ Graves comfortingly said. (Y/N) wanted him to shut up, but couldn’t say a word. She wasn’t able to control her shaking limbs anymore, so she just fell to the ground in front of Modesty, still shielding her both from Credence and Graves.

 _“But I don’t think I want to”,_ Credence suddenly said and the whole world exploded.

The last thing (Y/N) managed to do was to cover Modesty from debris.


	9. Chapter 9

Every breath she took felt like swallowing hot oil, her lungs were burning, her heart pounding like crazy, as if it was trying to get out of the rib cage. (Y/N) was literally running for her life or, rather his life. Keeping up with Graves, of whoever the hell he was, wasn’t anywhere near easy but she had to try. Apparating through the city was draining her energy faster than she thought, but (Y/N) couldn’t allow even a thought about giving up. It was not up to her to decide such things. How stupid she was, she should have stepped forward, shielding Credence from that man, but no, she decided to be “careful”. Careful. The word echoed in her mind, making anger begin to bubble in her chest. Oh, if she was just a bit more brave. She could grab his hand and disapparate, but no! However, (Y/N) thoughts instantly turned back to Modesty. She would be dead by now, as soon as Graves would discover she wasn’t an Obscurial. At least she was safe now. If the girl was smart enough, she would do as (Y/N) said. _“Go to the bookstore. It’s safe there. I’ll come for you as soon as I help your brother. Go!”._

However, (Y/N)’s priority was not to lose Graves now. She never saw Credence using his powers and, to be honest, she was scared. And who wouldn’t be, seeing the Obscurus horribly moving underneath his skin, blinding his eyes and exploding in a wave of darkness. It was rage itself, a black thick smoke with red fiery sparks inside mirroring embers. It exploded causing chaos and panic. It seemed as if all the world was on fire, people’s screams merged into one loud cry as they were running away from the force that was too fierce for them. (Y/N) apparated to the Times Square, following Graves and standing behind his back. He was staring at the Obscurus, with all kinds of emotions on his face – amazement, interest and even greed. On (Y/N)’s face, however, there was only one emotion – a desire to punch Graves in his stupid face.

_“To survive so long, with this inside you, Credence, is a miracle. You are a miracle. Come with me- think of what we could achieve together”._

_“Hell no”,_ (Y/N) growled, making her way toward the man, not even caring for her own safety. She threw a spell, hoping that he wouldn’t notice. However, he did. Graves gracefully ducked taking his wand out.

_“It’s you again. I think we should end it here. I wish you could join me, (Y/N). You would be a valuable asset.”_

_“You will touch that boy only over my dead body, Graves.”_ She spat, raising her hand. _“And I would never join you”_

 _“What a nuisance!”_ he sarcastically said, waving his wand.

However, before he managed to cast the spell, Obscurus burst out, knocking Graves to the ground. The force set a shock-wave around the square, but somehow dark smoke enveloped (Y/N) for a second, keeping her safe. She could barely see through a thick veil of darkness, it was hard to breathe too, but she managed to pull herself together.

 _“Credence”,_ she shouted, trying to reach him over a roaring noise. _“Credence, I know you are scared, and angry, and hurt, but please listen to me!”_ smoke seemed to slow down a little, but still curling violently, throwing her hair into her face as if she was standing in the middle of the tornado. _“You need to run. They will try to hurt you, you need to hide. Run!”_

As soon as she shouted her last words, Obscurus exploded again, leaving her alone. She only had enough time to duck, when a bright spell flew in her direction. Graves now was focused on someone else. Tina dived, dodging. Graves instantly disapparated, leaving them alone.

 _“(Y/N)!”_ Goldstein shouted, gathering herself up from the ground, but (Y/N) never heard her, following Graves and Credence.

***

Chasing them through the city was exhausting, (Y/N) was running as fast as she can, to be closer to Credence then Graves. She saw Newt in the distance, feeling sudden relief with the thought that she wasn’t alone. All four of them, including Obscurus were veering to avoid spells. (Y/N) felt every time it was hit, sharp pain in her chest was echoed by a roaring scream.

(Y/N) stopped for a second, watching Obscurus dramatically rising into the air, lit up by the spells all around. It froze for a mere moment and then crushed violently to the ground, racing along a wide, but fortunately empty, street, demolishing everything in its path. (Y/N) didn’t care for Newt anymore, following Credence, forgetting about outer world. She just rushed after him into the subway, being too exhausted to apparate.

It was quiet. It was a deafening kind of silence, when it seems that sound never existed. (Y/N) sighed, watching last signs of Obscurus curling under the ceiling. She walked slowly and carefully, eyeing the station. Suddenly, she froze, noticing Credence on the train tracks. She forgot about everything, moving much faster now, jumping down from the platform. Her steps might have startled the boy, causing him to flinch. His eyes were full of tears and he was shaking, but as soon as he saw it was (Y/N), something else appeared in his gaze. Hope.

 _“Credence”,_ she whispered, her voice broke, though she was quiet. (Y/N) rushed forward, kneeling rapidly and pulling him into a hug. He flinched, but relaxed instantly, wrapping his trembling hands around her waist. _“Credence, I will take you away from here”,_ she hollowly sobbed. Her hand was caressing his hair, while she was holding him as if she could stop Obscurus from exploding.

 _“I-I k-killed h-her”,_ Credence cried into her shoulder, and she felt his tears on the side of her neck _“I-I a-am a m-monster”_

 _“No you are not”,_ she pulled away, wiping his tears. _“You are a wonder. My wonder. Come on, we need to go.”_

Credence nodded, Obscurus gently swirling down the ceiling. They were ready to step out of the shadows, when another voice sounded, making Credence squeeze (Y/N) hand so hard, that she thought he would break her fingers.

 _“Credence- It’s Credence, isn’t it? I’m here to help you, Credence. I’m not here to hurt you,”_ she knew that voice. _“Credence, can I come over to you? Can I come over?”_

 _“Go away, Newt,”_ (Y/N) growled, stepping in front of the boy, shielding him from Scamander.

 _“(Y/N)?”_ he asked with a surprise in his voice. _“I can help.”_

“Can you? It’s my business, Newt. Let us go,” she said, knowing that she would never let anyone to take Credence away. Even if it was Newt Scamander. (Y/N) felt Credence trembling eyeing Newt with fear. She turned her face to him, and whispered, staring into his eyes. _“I won’t let him take you away, Credence. I won’t let th-”_

Suddenly the sharp burst of light blazed out of the darkness and a spell struck, throwing Newt backwards. Next one was deflected by (Y/N) as she shouted _“Protego!”._ She gripped his hand harder, dragging him after herself rushing deeper into the tunnel. They run as long as a radiant light blinded them – a train. Suddenly, they both were pressed into the wall, cast out of the train’s path. (Y/N) felt Credence started to melt away, transforming into the smoke once more. As soon as the train passed, she grabbed his hand.

 _“No, Credence, you need to hold on!”_ she saw the Obscurus moving under his skin, just like her fingers started turning black. They were standing mere inches away, staring into each other’s white eyes.

 _“Credence”_ Graves’ voice interrupted, causing (Y/N) instinctively stand between them. She could feel him shaking behind her.

 _“Go away,”_ she growled, trying to gather all her powers.

 _“So- So you are bonded, aren’t you?”_ he snarled in response, examining her white eyes. _“How interesting”._

His wand flew up almost in a whip-like motion, sending a flash of vivid red light right into (Y/N) chest.

When the spell reached her, the entire world exploded in pain. She heard about this spell before, but whatever they studied in class, wasn’t near as painfully as it was in reality. It felt as her bones were broken all at once, and her skin was burning and freezing at the same time. (Y/N) cried, falling to her knees. In the very same moment, there was something other than pain that exploded. Obscurus filled the tunnel, letting out the unearthly scream and diving toward Graves, who disapparated it time.

(Y/N) tried to stand up, her body protesting. She watched in terror as Obscurus rushed through the tunnel, turning into a dark tsunami, which consumed the entire station and then flew out of the roof. She walked forward, tripping and falling to her knees couple of times. She continued walking even when Obscurus came back, bursting through the subway roof.

 _“CREDENCE, NO”_ Tina shouted, running onto the tracks. _“Don’t do this- Please.”_

Obscurus froze in inches from Graves face and backed away, as if looking at her. (Y/N) stubbornly made her way forward, ignoring Newt’s hand on her shoulder. She shrugged, feeling sharp pain in every inch of her body. She was staring into Obscurus’ eyes, noticing glimpses of Credence’s face, who was focusing on her trembling form.

 _“Credence,”_ she whispered, her voice hoarse from screaming.

_“Keep talking to him, Tina. Keep talking to him- he’ll listen. He’s listening.”_

_“Shut up”,_ (Y/N) suddenly spat, taking her last steps, standing between Obscurus and others. _“Credence, you need to calm down, please.”_

_“We- We know what that woman did to you… We know that you’ve suffered… You need to stop this now… Newt, (Y/N) and I will protect you…”_

(Y/N) quietly growled, making another step forward and extending her hand, almost touching the smoke. It entwined her fingers gently, making her smile weakly.

_“Credence, come back. Let me help you. We’ll go away, where others will never find us. I will take you away.”_

_“This man- he is using you.”_ Tina continued.

_“Don’t listen to her, Credence. I want you to be free. It’s all right.”_

_“Why can’t you all just shut up?”_ (Y/N) turned around to face them, her hand still enlaced in the smoke. She glanced to the Obscurus, seeing Credence’s face becoming more human, and the spurts of smoke now resembling a human hand.

 _“Credence-”_ Graves started again.

 _“Shut up, Graves, or I swear, no laws will stop me from sending you to hell,”_ (Y/N) spat, focused on Credence’s face.

 _“That’s it…”_ Tina whispered, calming Credence even more.

Suddenly Aurors broke into the station, pouring down the steps and into the tunnel, their wands at the ready.

_“Shhh! Don’t, you’ll frighten him!”_

Obscurus let out a terrible moan losing the last bits of its humanity, swelling again. It’s almost covered (Y/N) who didn’t step back. She rabidly turned around, feeling the smoke pushing her shoulders as if in a tight hug. The force was irrepressible, catching (Y/N)’s breath. It felt as if the smoke crept into her lungs, and still she was standing in front of him, trying to protect.

 _“Wands down! Anyone harms him- they’ll answer to me!”_ Graves shouted turning back to the Obscurus. “ _Credence!”_

 _“Credence…”_ Tina started, but it was too late.

Aurors began pelting Obscurus with spells. The world turned into a mess of dark smoke and bright colorful flashes. And a scream. Both Credence and (Y/N) howled in pain. Obscurus, in it’s last attempt to do something, pushed (Y/N) out of the fire line. She fell onto her back, suffocating, the tears streaming down her face because of pain, both physical and mental.

 _“Credence…”_ she whispered, her fingers clenching onto rocks and dust, as she saw a white ball of magical light taking over from the black mass. _“No-”_

Shock-wave made everybody stumble backwards. All of the noise subsided, leaving only silence. Somehow, that silence was louder than a scream. For a second she thought that she can hear her heartbeat, a sound so familiar, but so painful, as if with each beat, flesh was torn, ribs broke, bend outward, allowing the heart finally see the sunlight. The only thing she saw was couple of small tatters of black matter floating through the air. Suddenly her eyes focused on Newt’s face, who was cradling her in his hands as if covering her from everyone else’s eyes.

 _“Shhh, (Y/N), look,”_ he had a strange mix of sadness and amazement in his eyes, looking at her chest. (Y/N) could barely see anything because of tears, but her eyes widened, when she focused on a white glowing smoke coming out of her body right where the spell hit her. Spurts of the smoke were gentry curling, just as Obscurus couple of moments ago.

 _“What-What is it?”_ she wheezed out, staring at the fading smoke.

 _“I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out,”_ Newt whispered, helping her stand up as soon as the glowing smoke disappeared. They both wheeled around to look at Aurors, while Tina came closer.

 _“You fools. Do you realize what you’ve done?”_ to Graves’ words (Y/N) jerked trying to break away from Newt’s arms.

 _“I’m gonna kill that bastard!”_ she snarled, trying to get her hands free.

(Y/N) was staring angrily both at Graves and at aurors, burning with rage. They were talking about him as if he was a thing, a monster, and not a human being.

_“He was responsible for a death of a No-Maj. He risked the exposure of our community. He has broken one of our most sacred laws-”_

_“HE WAS JUST A BOY!”_ (Y/N) shouted, outvoicing Graves and Piquery. _“He was just a scared child who needed help, and you just killed him! How dare you talking about law, when a boy is dead?!”_ she freed herself from Newts arms, _“Your Director of magical security was the one who provoked him, who was manipulating him for months and you are talking about law?!”_

_“(Y/N)-”_

_“Don’t you dare to shut me up, Newton,”_ she growled.

_“Miss (L/N) a understand you are upset, and we apologize-”_

_“Apologize to Credence Barebone”,_ she stated, still burning with anger. _“Oh wait, you’ve killed him-”_

_“We-”_

_“Yes, you did. And history will surely note that, Madam President”,_ Graves interrupted.

The more he talked, the more everything took its place. How could she be so stupid? Graves attacked, moving gracefully. If he wasn’t their enemy, (Y/N) probably would be marveled by his skills, but for now she was only able to cast some shield charms. Newt let out the Swooping Evil, which worked just as fine. Newt raised his wand, slashing it through the air. In a blink of an eye, Graves, though with a slight resistance, knelt, his hand tightly wrapped with some crackling rope of supernatural light.

_“Revelio”._

Everything fell into place. Graves slowly transforms. His dark hair fades to an unnatural shade of blond, his eyes no more golden-brown, they are cold and blue, as ice on a river that froze to the bottom. (Y/N) loudly exhaled. Her blood chilled in her veins, as she looked at his face.

 _“Will we die, just a little?”_ he sneered, smiling into Newt’s face. They almost took him away, when (Y/N) moved forward.

 _“Wait!”_ she shouted, standing in front of Grindelwald. She was staring at him for a second and then suddenly punched him in the face, so hard that his head swung to the side. _“That’s for Credence. Have a nice time in the prison.”_

(Y/N) didn’t wait for everyone else, just went out of the subway.

***

(Y/N) was looking at the sky, to her shame, not really listening to Jacob. Her knuckles ached a little, but that was nothing, compared to everything else. However, her heart was in her mouth. The reason was – she was still alive.

 _“(Y/N)”,_ she heard her name and jerked her head to Jacob. _“We didn’t have a chance to know each other, but I’m happy that I’ve met you,”_ she smiled, taking a step forward and hugging him.

 _“You are a wonderful person Jacob. I hope I’ll get a discount in you bakery,”_ she chuckled, watching him with subtle tears in her eyes.

 _“Anytime”,_ he smiled in response and stepped into the rain.

(Y/N) was watching at him for a second, and then waved her hand slightly. She could not save all his memories, but at least he would remember the wonders. They would come to him in dreams, but magic would still be there. All of them turned their gazes away without saying a word, when Queenie kissed Jacob. (Y/N) grabbed Newt’s elbow and disapparated.

***

_“And where the hell do you think you’re going, (Y/N)?”_ Newt almost shouted, following her in the street. She was fast, faster than he was, both of them survived Cruciatus, and an exhausting fight.

_“Home, Newt.”_

_“No, you are not!”_

_“And why is that?”_ she asked, ignoring his attempts to bring her back to Goldsteins’ apartment.

_“Oh, maybe because we don’t know what is going on with you? I saw your eyes when Credence-”_

_“Newt-”_ she started warningly, coming to the door.

 _“S-sorry”_ he stammered, _“But you can’t just leave! You are going with me to England.”_

 _“I am most certainly not!”_ she exclaimed, pulling her hand away. She was tired, she was worried, angry and… hopeful. However, it was too much to contain within herself, so she just said everything that was on her mind. _“I am sorry, Newt, but I have a child here, a girl who need’s help! You tell me that I have some strange Obscurial thing in my chest and that you have no idea what is it!”_ she was shouting now, pain and anger waving through her in waves. _“I am not dead, which means that Credence is alive too! He is there, alone most probably hurt and scared! I am not going to fail in protecting him once more!”_ (Y/N) was standing inches away newt, tears on her cheeks. _“I am not going with you to England! Not until I find him!”_

She sharply opened the door, storming inside. Newt followed and almost stumbled upon her, as she stopped right in the center on the room. There was a girl, no older than nine or ten, clutching to (Y/N)’s leg, eyeing her with wide scared eyes. It must’ve been Modesty. (Y/N) turned around.

 _“I am not coming with you, Newt! I-”_ she waved her hand, and accidentally punched him right in the nose. _“Oh, Merlin’s beard, sorry- I didn’t want to-”_ suddenly she trailed off, looking at terrified Modesty. _“What’s happened, dear?”_

Girl just whimpered, and gestured towards the hidden stairs.

 _“Stay with Newt,”_ (Y/N) calmly said, moving forward.

I was dark, darker than she thought, because she literally couldn’t see anything. _“Lumos”_ she whispered, but nothing happened. Darkness just consumed the spark in her hand. Suddenly, she felt as something touched her leg, just as if a cat passed by. She was trying to see at least something, when she heard almost inaudible whimper.

 _“Is anybody there?”_ she carefully asked, making another step forward, stumbling upon something or, rather, someone. _“Oh-”_

She trailed off, when the darkness slowly dissipated. Her eyes met other ones, dark and wide, and full of fear and tears. She gasped, covering her mouth.

She knew those eyes. She never thought she would see those eyes again. It a beat she pulled their owner closer to her chest, feeling her own eyes feeling with tears. Her face found it’s place in the crook of the neck, her fingers stroking bare skin. (Y/N) bit her lip not to cry.

He was alive. He was safe. Scared, hurt, betrayed, exhausted, maybe injured, cold, but alive. The boy was clutching the fabric of her blouse, burying his face in her hair. He was whimpering and she could feel his tears, but she didn’t care.

 _“(Y/N)?”_ Newt’s asked, making both of them flinch.

Scamander was standing at the doorstep, watching a pale boy curled in the corner, wrapped in nothing but the black smoke, clutching to a crying woman. Instinctively, (Y/N) shielded him with her own body.

 _“Credence-”_ Newt whispered, staring at both of them, as (Y/N)’s lips curved in smile.

_“I told you. He is alive”._


End file.
